406 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 80 PART 3 MAY 2022
is not always so. There are many dry and off-dry Rieslings that are very
food-friendly and pair well with spicy food. We urge you to try Culmina
“Decora” ($21 from the winery and about $26 in local wine stores) or Upper
Bench Riesling ($26 at the winery and $30 in local wine stores), both of
which are lively, aromatic whites that offer good balance between fruit and
acidity.
Dinner with the Daykins and De Vitas
Risotto with porcini mushrooms (a.k.a. “midnight risotto”)
At a dinner party several years ago, we got so carried away with delicious
appetizers and great conversation that we completely lost track of time. It
was not until close to 11 p.m. that we started preparing this risotto dish, and
with all the chopping and stirring involved, it did not arrive at the table until
just before midnight. We do not recommend this dish for bedtime snacking,
but it will make a great “primo” or main course.
5–6 cups chicken broth
A couple handfuls of dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
A few glugs of extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 ½ tablespoons fresh thyme, minced
1 ½ cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
½ cup white wine
¾ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
Reconstitute the dried porcini in about 1 ½ cups of boiling water (about 20
minutes), remove the porcini and then strain the mushroom water through
a sieve to remove any silt from the dried mushrooms. Add the mushroom
water to the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer on low heat.
Chop the porcini and cremini mushrooms finely.
Melt butter with oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add
onions and sauté until tender, about seven to eight minutes. Add cremini
mushrooms and cook for about five minutes. Add the porcini, garlic and
thyme and sauté for a few minutes. Throw in the rice and stir for a couple
of minutes. Add the wine and allow it to reduce until fully absorbed.
Now, add one ladle of broth, stirring continually until the broth is almost
fully absorbed in the rice mixture. Then add another ladle and continue to