Recipe: Shiitake Dashi Risotto

I've often been baffled by the cult of the Pin-Up Celebrity Chef -- those chefs who are drooled over as much for their charm and looks as for their culinary know-how. Let Jamie Oliver pukka up, Nigella lasciviously lick the silverware, and James Martin receive his risqué calendars (apparently sent by his loyal groupies, who call themselves the Martinis). I remain unmoved.

If anything, I appreciate a little incompetence in the kitchen. When it comes to men and my cooking, I'll take hungry adoration over Simon-Cowell-esque criticism, however honest, any day. Woe betide any gourmet-style posturings, or worse, the insinuation that he can do better.

(BBQs are a different matter. Standing by a pile of smouldering coals on a hot summer's day? Not a chance. I'll be over there in the shade with my ice-tea, thanks. Mine's a burger, medium-rare.)

However, every rule has an exception, and my I-Don't-Fancy-Celebrity-Chefs rule recently found a loophole in the form of Jun Tanaka, executive chef at the Pearl Restaurant, London, and obviously a samurai in a past life. I've been streaming back episodes of his TV show Cooking It from the Channel 4 website -- against all odds, here's a man that makes a pony-tail look good. Very good, even.

Plus, as the show's voiceover reiterates each episode, he really believes that, with a little teaching, anyone can cook. Making him, amongst other things, the human equivalent of Remy the rat (from Ratatouille*).

What has this all got to do with shiitake risotto? Well, tenuous as the link is, here's a video and recipe for cured salmon with herb risotto, from Jun on Market Kitchen. It's worth watching if you're a risotto-novice or a card-carrying member of the Jun Tanaka fan club (which sadly has yet to come into existence).

* For those Pixar/rodent fans amongst you, here's the Ratatouille Cookbook for Kids. I heart Pixar. And rodents, as long as they're computer-generated.

Recipe: Shiitake Dashi Risotto

Serves 2

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, medium-sized
• 2 shallots
• Garlic, couple of cloves
• Butter, unsalted or salted
• Risotto rice - see Wikipedia's risotto entry for rice types - the rice will expand to roughly double when cooked - follow measurement suggestions from the packet.
• Sake / white wine, a splash of
• Dried porcini mushrooms, small handful, shred into bits with fingers
• Spring onions (optional), finely chopped

For the stock

• 2 cups dashi
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• Shiitake mushrooms, sliced

Prepare the stock (dashi, soy sauce, mirin) in a pot and bring to a simmer. Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and continue to simmer. (The stock will reduce when added to the risotto, so go easy on the saltiness at this stage.)

Chop up the onion, shallots, and garlic.

In another pot, melt a knob of butter (say 2 tbsp), then gently cook the onion, shallots and garlic for a few minutes on medium-heat -- don't let them brown.

Mix in the risotto rice, and add a splash of sake (or white wine). Stir until the sake / white wine has evaporated.

Pour a small ladle of stock (including some of the shiitake mushrooms) into the risotto, and stir until absorbed. Stir in the porcini mushrooms.

Continue to ladle the stock, bit by bit, into the risotto, until it cooks to al dente. [Don't forget the shiitake mushrooms in the stock - add them all to the risotto by the end.]

Garnish with chopped spring onions (optional), and serve hot.

Note: I added grated parmesan in the photos, but the dish works fine without (if not better).

Comments

[Kevin]

Nice Asian twist on a risotto!