Risotto with autumn chanterelles

Ever thought of nature as your pantry? Take a walk on the fields or in the woods from early spring ‘til late autumn and you’ll always find something that can contribute to a healthy and delicious dinner – and also at no cost at all. Bread, soup or pesto made of the first nettles, a salad of tender dandelion leaves, nuts, all kind of berries, from the first wild strawberries ‘til the late lingonberries, and mushrooms.

One of the best things about autumn is when the autumn chanterelles appear. Their brownish yellow color makes it difficult to spot them at first, but once you find the first one you only need to look around and realize that they are growing everywhere.
Dried and crushed the chanterelles is a great seasoning for soups and the whole ones, dried or frozen, can be used in a good sauce, in stews or, as here, in a good risotto.

Risotto with autumn chanterelles

Serves 4-5

• 200 gr fresh autumn chanterelles or 100 gr dried
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 finely chopped shallots
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 dl avorio rice
• Salt, black pepper
• 2.5 dl of dry white wine or juice from 2 lemons (if you use lemon juice, taste before you pour in all of the juice)
• 8 dl of hot vegetable stock
• 1 dl grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone or cream cheese or creme fraiche

1. Clean and fry the fresh chanterelles in a dry pan until all the liquid is gone. (If you use dried chanterelles, let them soak in water for about 20 minutes first.)
2. Now add some butter and cook for another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Melt butter in a saucepan and add olive oil.
4. Saute the onion soft a few minutes without adding color.
5. Add minced garlic and scratched thyme and cook for another few minutes.
6. Add the rice and stir until it is covered by butter/oil.
7. Add hot broth little by little and let it boil properly between each time over low heat.
8. The rice is ready in about 25-30 minutes.
9. Add the mushrooms at the end along with the grated parmesan and mascarpone.

I like to serve my risotto with a salad of sliced tomatoes (both red and yellow), black olives, sliced red onion and fresh basil and seasoned with salt flakes, olive oil and a dash of white balsamic vinegar.