Chanterelle and porcini risotto with brown rice

Whilst driving through the more rural areas around Vancouver one day, Neil and I were suddenly startled by a flash of movement in the grasses ahead. Thousands upon thousands of geese were travelling from field to field, eating seeds or maybe wheat. They moved as one, the slightest flapping of a wing causing the whole flock to suddenly come alive with flight. In the distant sky the birds made strange and uniform patterns and lines as they travelled in their V formations. We waited for the flock to fly over our heads, deafening through their shrill cries and the sound of their wings. Suddenly everything was silent as they stripped the ground of what they wanted, then they would start again, off to another location.

We later discovered through the many people gathered to watch and take photographs that this is an annual event around the area. The birds are snow geese. Having migrated 4000 km from Russia, they will spend the Winter here before making the journey back to Wrangel Island in April. I was completely unaware of this spectacle before and feel privileged to have just happened upon it.

I can't say that this particular phenomenon inspired me to make this dish, but the use of mushrooms definitely shares the same Autumnal vibes as birds migrating south.

Making risotto can be relaxing or very frustrating and time consuming, depending on your point of view. I quite like it, maybe because I make it so infrequently I forget that it requires constant stirring and attention. If you use brown rice, however, (or even long grain white for that matter), you can almost forget about achieving that creamy, liquid consistency and just aim for something in the general risotto ball park instead. This recipe, therefore, is not authentic but does have a risotto like taste. The earthy, umami mushrooms are pumped up in intensity with some dried porcini and the Vermouth, chicken stock and Parmesan all add their individual touch. Expect a drier dish with rice still with a bite. It doesn't really ooze, just is.

Recipe : Mushroom 'risotto' with brown rice

1 tbsp oil and 2 tsp butter

1 cup mixed mushrooms such as crimini and chanterelles, wiped clean and chopped roughly

2 shallots, finely diced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 cup brown rice

2 cups strong chicken stock

1/4 cup dry Vermouth or white wine

a handful of dried Porcini mushrooms

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan over medium heat and add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Reduce heat and saute together until the mushrooms are soft and releasing their juice and the shallot is golden.

Add the rice and stir well to thoroughly coat the rice with oil and butter. Add a ladle full of chicken stock and stir until it is almost evaporated.

Add the Vermouth, the rest of the stock and the Porcini mushrooms and bring to a very slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 35 minutes, stirring very frequently until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is becoming soft.

Add 1/2 the Parmesan cheese, stir well to melt into the rice and let cook for a little longer, adding a little more stock or Vermouth if the rice is still too hard and the liquid all evaporated. As soon as the rice is soft, (with a little bite left) and the mixture is quite dry, serve with more Parmesan sprinkled on top. It should be much creamier than regular boiled brown rice but is still no where close to the 'perfect' Italian version. It doesn't matter, really, it tasted good enough for me to feel quite proud.