Mushroom and Chestnut Risotto

This recipe was originally posted here in the Thermomix Forum and based on a recipe from Australian Gourmet Traveller. It was posted for people in the Northern Hemisphere, so chestnuts are not in season in Australia, sorry, you'll have to wait.

Mushroom and chestnut risotto

Number of People: 6

Ingredients:

100 gm peeled chestnuts (see note)
100 ml extra-virgin olive oil
100 gm butter, coarsely chopped
100 gm Parmesan or Grana Padana
200 gm mixed mushrooms
100 gm baby spinach leaves, stalks trimmed
1 small onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
450 gm carnaroli rice
1 litre good-quality chicken stock
Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 160°C. Place prepared chestnuts in a roasting pan with 30ml olive oil and 20gm butter and roast for 20 minutes or until tender and golden. Remove to TM bowl and roughly chop for 4 seconds on speed 6. They should not be too small. Remove and keep warm.

Place parmesan into TM bowl and grate for 15 seconds on speed 8. Remove and set aside.

Place mushrooms in TM bowl and set to closed lid position and hit Turbo button three times to roughly chop. Add 20ml oil and 20gm butter and cook for 10 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Add spinach leaves and cook for another 3 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1. Remove, mix with chestnuts and keep warm.

Place onion and garlic into TM bowl and chop for 15 seconds on speed 7. Add 50ml olive oil & 30g butter and sauté for 5 minutes or until soft at 100°C on speed 1. Add rice, stir for 45 seconds at 100°C on reverse + speed 1 to coat. Add stock and cook for 15 minutes at 100°C on reverse + speed 1, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Add remaining butter, Parmesan and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir for 10 seconds on reverse + speed 3 to combine. Place risotto mixture into a large, warmed bowl.

Mix chestnuts and mushroom mix through risotto and serve.


Tips/Hints:

To prepare fresh chestnuts (200gm unpeeled), score top of each with a knife and place in basket of Thermomix. Place 600 ml water into TM bowl and insert basket with chestnuts. Cook for 15 minutes or until skin splits, remove basket and drain before transferring to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and stand for 10 minutes to steam, then peel, removing hard outer and as much of the thin inner shells. There are many other methods for removing the skins – if you have a better one then let me know.