Vegan Mushroom Risotto

Soak the dried mushrooms in a jug of 400 ml boiling water for 20 minutes. Squeeze dry and chop, reserve the liquid.

Allow the mushroom stock liquid to settle, then carefully pour it into a fresh jug ensuring that any grit at the bottom of the jug is left behind. Discard the leftover grit. Allow the stock to settle once more, then repeat pouring from one jug to the next a couple of times to ensure all grit is filtered out.

Add vegetable stock to the mushroom stock until you have about 900 ml of liquid. Tip: While cooking the risotto, keep your stock warm in a separate saucepan on a low heat.

In a pre-heated frying pan, on a high heat with no oil, grill the rehydrated and fresh mushrooms for about 5 minutes. (This can be done in batches in order to maintain the heat and ensure the mushrooms do not become soggy.)

In a large saucepan, gently fry the shallots in oil on a medium heat until translucent. If using thyme or rosemary as the herb of choice, fry it with the onions. Add the garlic and continue frying for 30 seconds.

Add the mushrooms to the saucepan with the shallots and garlic and bring back to a medium heat.

Add the salt, pepper and rice. The need for salt is negated by the umami flavour of the mushrooms. Do not oversalt, especially if your vegetable stock is already salted.

Toast the rice for at least 2 minutes before adding the wine. Cook for another minute or two before adding the first ladle of warm stock. (Approximately 100 ml per ladle.) Adjust the temperature to a simmer.

Add the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition of stock to be absorbed before adding the next. Repeat this step until most of the stock has been added and absorbed.

Check to see if the rice is cooked. Put a grain on your chopping board, and crush half of it with your finger. A small amount of white starch should still be visible in the middle of the grain. You can also chew it to check the texture. It should be mostly creamy but with a slight bite. If the rice is undercooked, add another ladle of stock and simmer again.

Once the risotto is cooked, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. If using parsley as the herb of choice, add it now.

Let it rest for 3 minutes before serving in bowls. Garnish with a bit more parmesan and parsley (if using). Serve with white wine if there's any left after cooking.

Of course you can always use red wine but be prepared for a pink risotto! Valentines Day? The weight of dried mushrooms is a guideline, not an exact requirement. Package sizes differ by brand/country. Garlic quantity has already been scaled up to realistic levels. No need to go overboard.