The Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto recipe is a perfect example of how simple ingredients can be transformed into a restaurant-quality meal. There’s something incredibly comforting about a bowl of creamy risotto, and when you add the richness of black garlic and the earthiness of mushrooms, you get a dish that’s nothing short of extraordinary. This dish takes a little attention and time, but the results are absolutely worth it.
Table of Contents
- Ingredient Breakdown
- Slow, Steady, and Stirring
- Black Garlic: The Secret Ingredient
- Choosing the Right Rice
- Tips for the Perfect Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto
- More Risotto Recipes
Ingredient Breakdown
- Black Garlic: This is the star of the show. Black garlic is made by ageing regular white garlic under heat and humidity, which gives it a sweet, umami-packed flavour. Its mellow taste is perfect for adding depth to the dish without overpowering the other ingredients.
- Chestnut Mushrooms: These mushrooms offer an earthy flavour that complements the black garlic beautifully. Their firm texture holds up well in risotto, adding a lovely bite to each spoonful.
- Carnaroli or Arborio Rice: These short-grain rice varieties are ideal for risotto as they release starches when cooked, giving the dish its signature creamy texture.
- Good-Quality Stock: Chicken or vegetable stock serves as the base of the dish. It’s important to use a high-quality stock as it provides a depth of flavour that enhances the risotto.
- Dry White Wine: The wine adds a bit of acidity to balance the richness of the other ingredients, while also contributing a lovely layer of flavour.
- Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano: These aged cheeses are integral for adding that final creamy and savoury touch, which makes the risotto decadent.
- Butter: A few cubes of butter are stirred in at the end to give the risotto a velvety finish.
- Flat-Leaf Parsley: A sprinkle of fresh parsley brightens up the dish with a bit of colour and freshness.
Slow, Steady, and Stirring
Risotto is often seen as a labour of love, but it doesn’t have to be intimidating. The key to making the perfect Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto is patience and constant stirring. As the rice absorbs the liquid, it releases its natural starches. That’s what creates the signature creamy texture we all know and love. This gradual process requires about 25 to 30 minutes of your undivided attention, but the results will more than make up for it.
One important note: avoid rushing the cooking process. Add the stock one ladleful at a time and let it absorb completely before adding the next. This slow cooking method ensures that the rice cooks evenly and releases its starches properly. Stir frequently, but not constantly, as a gentle motion will allow the rice to release its starches without overworking it.
If you’re using a good-quality stock and freshly grated cheese, you won’t need to add much seasoning. However, always taste as you go and adjust with a pinch of salt or a crack of freshly ground black pepper if needed. When you finish the cooking process, make sure to let the risotto rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows all the flavours to meld and results in an even creamier consistency.
Black Garlic: The Secret Ingredient
While many risotto recipes use regular garlic to provide depth and flavour, this version of Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto takes things to a whole new level by using black garlic. Black garlic has a unique, sweet-savoury flavour profile with hints of balsamic vinegar and molasses. It’s much milder than regular garlic, making it an excellent addition to dishes that require a subtle, complex taste.
The aged garlic cloves are finely chopped and sautéed with the mushrooms at the beginning of the cooking process. As the garlic softens, it releases its sweet, umami-rich flavour into the dish, enriching the overall taste. Unlike white garlic, black garlic doesn’t have the pungency or sharpness that can sometimes overpower a dish, which makes it perfect for risotto. The mushrooms, too, absorb the richness of the black garlic, resulting in a flavour profile that is both earthy and sweet.
For those unfamiliar with black garlic, it’s worth seeking out. It’s available in speciality food stores and online, and its unique flavour can elevate many dishes, not just risotto. The combination of black garlic and mushrooms brings a perfect balance of savoury, sweet, and earthy notes that make this dish particularly comforting.
Choosing the Right Rice
Not all rice varieties work for risotto. The key to Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto lies in using rice with high starch content. The best options include:
- Carnaroli: Known as the “king of risotto rice,” carnaroli grains stay firm while still releasing starch, resulting in the creamiest, most luxurious texture.
- Arborio: More widely available, arborio is slightly less firm than carnaroli but still produces a rich, velvety risotto.
Other types of rice, such as jasmine or basmati, won’t yield the same creamy consistency because they lack the starch content needed for risotto. If possible, opt for carnaroli for the best results.
Tips for the Perfect Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto
To ensure your Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto turns out perfectly every time, here are some helpful tips and tricks:
- Use Fresh Ingredients: Fresh, high-quality mushrooms and stock make all the difference in this dish. Opt for organic chestnut mushrooms if possible, as their flavour is more intense. Likewise, use a good-quality stock (homemade if you can) to avoid any artificial taste in the final dish.
- Stirring is Key: Don’t rush the process. Constant stirring helps to release the starches from the rice, making the risotto creamy. But don’t stir too aggressively, as this can break the rice down too much and affect the texture.
- Wine and Stock: When adding the wine, allow it to reduce slightly before moving on to the stock. This intensifies the flavour and ensures the wine doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
- Rest Before Serving: After you remove the risotto from the heat, let it rest for 3 minutes with the lid on. This gives the butter and cheese time to melt into the rice, creating a creamy, velvety texture.
- Add Fresh Herbs: While flat-leaf parsley is a great choice, don’t be afraid to experiment with other fresh herbs like thyme or basil to add a different dimension to the dish.
More Risotto Recipes
If you’ve enjoyed this Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto recipe and are on the look for more to try your hand at, look no further!
- King Prawn Risotto: Packed with umami from homemade prawn stock, this risotto is simple yet deliciously rich and creamy.
- Saffron Risotto: This is my version of the great Milanese classic – it’s rich, creamy and absolutely delicious.
- Chorizo & Prawn Risotto: A classic risotto recipe, featuring everyone’s favourite – chorizo!
- Roasted Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto: A simple yet satisfying vegetarian main that gives a basic risotto a warm, autumnal twist
See how I make all these recipes and more over on my Instagram!
Black Garlic & Mushroom Risotto
Rich, creamy black garlic and mushroom risotto. Black garlic is made by ageing regular white garlic, which gives it a delicious sweet and savoury taste. The keys to a perfect risotto: gradual absorption and constant stirring; it’s what releases the creamy starches from the rice. So yes, this dish needs your undivided attention, but only for 25 to 30 mins. You might even find the stirring therapeutic!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Rice and Risotto
Ingredients
- 1.5 litre good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 4 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
- 8 black garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 300 g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 500 g carnaroli or arborio rice
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 80 g grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano
- 50 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the thyme, reduce the heat to low and cover; you want to keep the stock warm over very low heat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, around 5 minutes.
- Add the black garlic and chestnut mushrooms and season generously with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the rice, season with more sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook, stirring often, until the pan is almost dry, 1 to 2 mins.
- Add one ladleful of the stock and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the stock is fully absorbed. Add another ladleful of stock and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the stock is fully absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked; it should be tender but with a slight bite. The whole process should take around 25 to 30 mins. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add one ladleful of hot water at a time, stirring frequently until absorbed, until the rice is cooked to your liking.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the butter cubes, cheese and parsley and stir well to combine. Cover the saucepan and allow the risotto to sit for 3 minutes before serving. You might be tempted to skip this step but don’t! This is when the risotto becomes deliciously creamy.
- Taste and season with salt and freshly-ground black pepper, if necessary. Enjoy!
Notes
It might sound like a lot of black garlic, but I promise it isn’t! Black garlic is much more subtle than regular white garlic.
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