This is a great dish to serve on Sunday night when The Sopranos come on. It’s classy and understated. A good way to add more intense mushroom flavor is to throw the mushroom stems in with the chicken stock. Just be sure to brush the mushroom stems first for any loose dirt.

Ingredients

　　Extra-virgin olive oil

　　1 onion, minced

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 pound assorted mushrooms, such as Portobello, crimini, and chanterelle, stems removed, sliced

　　Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh thyme

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　2 bay leaves

　　Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　2 cups Arborio rice

　　1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

　　8 cups Chicken Stock (page 156), heated

　　1 cup frozen sweet peas, run under cool water to thaw

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

　　Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

　　Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and drizzle with a 3-count of oil. Add the onion and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until soft. Toss in the mushrooms and herbs; cook down until the mushrooms lose their liquid and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir for a minute or two, until the grains are well coated and opaque. Season again; seasoning in stages makes the rice taste good from the inside out. Stir in the wine and cook a minute to evaporate the alcohol. Pour in 1 cup of the warm stock. Stir with a wooden spoon until the rice has absorbed all the liquid; then add another cup. Keep stirring while adding the stock a cup at a time, allowing the rice to drink it in before adding more. You may not need all the stock. Taste the risotto. It should be slightly firm but creamy—definitely not mushy, but not raw either. Fold in the peas, butter, and Parmigiano cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley to finish the dish up. Risotto doesn’t like to sit around, so serve it immediately.

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter