In my book, risotto = comfort food and this mushroom risotto fits the bill perfectly. It is quick to make, filling and warming, just what we need in this cold weather.  An added benefit is that it uses very few ingredients, all of which we normally have in the house!

Ingredients:

1 large onion
300g risotto rice (arborio works best)
1tbsp vegetable bouillon
Large handful of mixed dried mushrooms
Large handful hard cheese (parmesan or manchego)

Method:

Finely chop the onion and place into a large saucepan with a drizzle of rapeseed oil.

While the onion is cooking, soak the mushrooms in a bowl with plenty of boiling water. They need at least 20 minutes to soak.

Fill a second saucepan with 1 litre of boiling water and put over a low heat to keep it boiling. Add the bouillon to make up your stock.

Once the onion is soft, add the rice to the pan and stir. Leave to cook for a minute or so then add some of the stock. The rice will absorb the water. Over the next 10-15 minutes add the rest of the water in small batches, allowing the previous water to be absorbed first. Keep stirring the rice to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Once all the stock has been added to the rice, turn the heat off and add the cheese.  Drain the mushrooms and add.  Stir through and serve.

This goes beautifully with some fresh salad leaves, garlic bread and a drizzle of olive oil.