The risotto with speck, brie, and mushrooms is an inviting and flavorful first course. I love preparing risottos, especially if they are special even when adding simple and inexpensive ingredients. As in all my risottos, I use Carnaroli rice, which today I decided to offer with French brie cheese, with a soft paste and blooming rind, speck, a typical smoked ham from South Tyrol, and dried porcini mushrooms. Also great for special occasions.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 1 Person
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
Ingredients
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2.8 oz Carnaroli rice
- 1.8 oz brie
- 1 oz speck
- 0.7 oz golden onion
- 0.1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (a little less than)
- to taste Grana Padano PDO
- to taste butter
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- to taste fine salt
- to taste black pepper
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Pot
- Steel Pan
- Ladle
- Small Bowl
- Frying Pan
- Wooden Spoon
- Grater
Steps
To prepare the risotto with speck, brie, and mushrooms…
First, in a pot, heat the beef broth, previously prepared, or the same amount of water where you will dissolve a beef bouillon cube.
Cut the speck into pieces and brown it for a few minutes in a non-stick pan without adding anything else, it should be crispy. In a small bowl, pour warm water and soak the dried porcini mushrooms. Finally, cut the brie cheese into cubes.
Peel and chop the golden onion, place it in the pan with the extra virgin olive oil and let it soften over medium heat, stirring occasionally with the wooden spoon.
When the onion has softened, add the rice and toast it, then deglaze with the dry white wine and let it evaporate.
When the wine has evaporated, slowly add the broth. Stir the rice occasionally with the wooden spoon and moisten it with the broth when it starts to dry out. Cook the risotto for about 20 minutes over medium heat.
Towards the end of the rice’s cooking, add the soaked and squeezed porcini mushrooms, half of both the speck and the brie, stir and continue cooking for the last few minutes.
When the rice is cooked, remove it from the heat, add the butter, grated Grana Padano, salt, pepper, and mix. If it’s too dry, add a little more broth.
Plate the risotto, adding the remaining brie and speck, and serve it hot.
