Risotto with Pancetta and Wild Mushrooms

My blogging has been very sparse lately.  I've been taking pictures of food, but when I don't write about the meal in over a month (today is really 4/4, and I pre-dated the blog entry), I am most likely not going to remember much.

I do remember that I enjoyed the texture of the mushrooms and the salty bite of the pancetta.  And remarking we should have it again.  We should have again, so I can write a better description.

Update:  D made this and it was good. Salty and creamy.  I loved the mushrooms because they had a lot of chew.  I added how D made it, because it came out to 14 WW points on the 2016 program).


Risotto with Pancetta and Wild Mushrooms

Photo by ALB

Ingredients
8 paper-thin slices of pancetta or bacon (about 2 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (used Pam)
1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as chanterelles, cremini and Portobellos, thickly sliced
Sea salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (used 2)
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley or tarragon
5 cups light chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth (used 4, but 5 doesn't make a difference in points)
1 garlic clove, lightly smashed (always use more)
1 shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (2 ounces), plus shavings, for garnish
2 tablespoons heavy cream (didn't use...tasted it and it didn't need it).
Freshly ground white pepper

Directions
Preheat the broiler. Arrange the pancetta slices on a baking sheet in a single layer and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and sizzling.

Drain on paper towels, then crumble.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and cook over high heat, stirring, just until they exude their juices, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms and their liquid to a strainer set over a bowl and press lightly on the mushrooms; reserve the liquid. Wipe out the skillet and add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Return the mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring, until tender and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the parsley, cover and keep warm.

In a medium saucepan, combine the stock with the reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer, then keep warm over low heat. In a large, deep nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until fragrant. Add the shallot and cook until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes; discard the garlic. Add the rice and stir until the grains are thoroughly coated with butter. Add 1 cup of the hot stock to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed most of the stock, 1 to 2 minutes. Continue to cook the risotto, adding the stock 1 cup at a time, and stirring constantly between additions until it is absorbed. Cook the risotto until it has a creamy, porridgelike consistency, about 20 minutes.

Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, the cream and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt and white pepper and transfer to warm soup plates. Garnish with the mushrooms, pancetta and shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.