Turkey risotto with porcini mushrooms and caramelized onions

This is loosely based on a recipe for porcini, caramelized onion, and sage risotto from the Williams-Sonoma risotto cookbook; I added turkey and played around with the proportions a bit. It gets raves every time I make it, and it's a great way to use up turkey leftovers.

• 3/4 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 cup hot water
• 5 cups chicken stock or broth (or turkey if you've got it)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 yellow onions, quartered lengthwise and sliced fairly thin crosswise
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 3/4 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
• salt and ground pepper to taste

In a small bowl, combine the mushrooms and hot water, and let stand for 30 minutes to soften. Remove the mushrooms from the water with a slotted spoon, and chop them. Strain the soaking liquid through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels into a clean bowl, and set aside.

Pour the stock or broth into a saucepan and set on the stove to simmer. In a large, heavy saucepan (I use my 4-quart chef's pan) over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil, then add the onions and cook until nicely browned, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the rice and chopped mushrooms and stir until white spots appear in the middle of the grains, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the sage, the mushroom soaking water, and a ladleful of the stock.

Reduce the high to medium-low to maintain a simmer, and stir constantly (yes, really - if you don't keep stirring, it won't cook right) until the liquid is mostly absorbed, then add another ladleful. Continue like this until the rice is just tender and the risotto looks creamy - this will take about 25 more minutes, and you may or may not use up all of the stock. If you use it all up and the risotto isn't done yet, add a little water or wine and keep cooking.

When it's done, add the chopped turkey, grated cheese and salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to mix and serve practically immediately - risotto does not sit around well.

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Last updated 5 February 2004.
All text and photographs © George Mitchell and Margaret Johnston, unless otherwise noted
Comments, questions, suggestions to margaret@lonelymountain.net.