Risotto with mushrooms, sage and chestnuts

Working with The University of Sheffield

Season: AutumnWinter

We have two new deliciously earthy extras available for your veg box via our online shop:

UK-grown organic mushrooms in a 300g portion.

Fresh organic sweet chestnuts from France – Bouche de Betizac.

Or have you been foraging for your own chestnuts in our beautiful Sheffield woodlands!? Either way, instructions for roasting chestnuts below. Delicious on their own, but if you fancy some therapeutic stirring at the hob, add them to a risotto with mushrooms and sage.

If you’re not a fan of sage, try some fresh parsley – we have Regather Farm organic parsley in stock. Stir chopped parsley through the risotto at the end of cooking.

To roast fresh chestnuts:

Heat your oven to Gas 6/200C/400F. Place chestnuts flat side down on a board. Using a small knife, make a shallow incision across the skin of each nut. Lay them out on a baking tray and roast in the oven until the skins open and the insides are tender. About 20 minutes – larger chestnuts might take a bit longer. When still warm, but cool enough to handle, peel off the outer skin and the white inner skin to reveal the kernel.

Ingredients

250g mushrooms

150g cooked chestnuts, chopped

5 or 6 sage leaves, chopped

1 medium onion, finely diced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

4 tbsp butter

1.5 litres veg stock

300g risotto rice

200ml white wine

75g grated parmesan

salt and pepper

Method

Rinse mushrooms and chop them into chunks. Toss with half the sage and 2 tbsp of oil. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté for a couple of minutes in a large pan. Set aside.

Heat the veg stock gently on the hob.

Start the risotto by heating the rest of the oil and butter in a pan. Add the diced onion and fry until soft and golden. Add the rice and mix it well with the cooked onion. Cook for a minute or two, stirring.

Add the wine and keep stirring. Cook until almost all the wine has cooked off.

Add a ladle of hot stock. Stir and cook (medium heat) until it has been absorbed. Repeat, one ladle at a time, until rice is soft but the grains still have a bit of bite. This will take around 20-25 mins, depending on heat. You may not need all the stock.

Add the cooked mushrooms, the chopped chestnuts and rest of the sage. Stir well, season to taste, and cook everything for a minute or two. Turn off the heat.

Stir in the parmesan, cover and leave for 5 mins before serving.