Recipe by Giancarlo Perbellini: Creamy Risotto with Shallots, Smoked Bottarga, and Forest Floor Emulsion
Ingredients for 4 servings
For the Risotto
- 280 gr of rice
- 500 ml of chicken broth
- 1 tuna bottarga
- Butter, as needed
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano, as needed
- Grape must, as needed
- Salt, as needed
For the Forest Floor Emulsion
- 400 gr of champignon mushrooms
- 50 gr of chanterelles
- 50 gr of porcini mushrooms
- Lemon juice, as needed
- Water, as needed
For the Shallot Reduction
- 3 shallots
- 300 gr of white wine
- 50 gr of vinegar
For the Bread Powder
- Tuscan bread, as needed
- Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- Salt and pepper, as needed
- Food-grade wood shavings, as needed for the smoker
Method
For the Forest Floor Emulsion
Clean the mushrooms, blend them with lemon juice and pour the mixture into a pot, covering with cold water. Bring to a boil, cook for 30 minutes, then remove from heat.
Strain through a cheesecloth and reduce until syrupy.
For the Shallot Reduction
Finely chop the shallots, combine them with wine and vinegar, and reduce by half.
For the Bread Powder
Cut the bread into cubes, season with oil, salt, pepper, and bake in the oven for 10/15 minutes at 140 °C (284 °F), then blend.
For the Bottarga
Place the bottarga on a tray and cover it tightly with plastic wrap, making a hole for the smoker. Induce smoke into the tray, then seal the hole and let it smoke for 30/40 minutes.
For the Risotto
Dry toast the rice, moisten with two ladles of shallot reduction, let it evaporate, then proceed to cook like a normal risotto, occasionally adding broth.
Cook for 10 minutes, then cream with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano and adjust with salt, adding shallot reduction if more acidity is desired.
Plating
Spread the risotto on the plate, grate the tuna bottarga over it, and with the help of a spoon, flavor it with a few drops of forest floor emulsion and cooked grape must. Sprinkle with bread powder.
All photographs by @AromiCreativi
