Mushroom Risotto with Madagascar Wild Pepper
Creamy risotto with button mushrooms, spiced with Madagascar wild pepper ground at the end of cooking, for 4 people in about 45 minutes.
- Prep 15 min
- Cooking 30 min
- Total 45 min
- Serves 4 servings
- Difficulty Medium
Voatsiperifery wild pepper comes from Vangaindrano, in the southeast of Madagascar: our family grows black pepper there, while the wild pepper is gathered in the forest, never cultivated. Its fragrance, sharper than black pepper, pairs well with the earthy taste of mushrooms.
A good risotto is cooked slowly, over medium heat, adding the hot stock ladle by ladle and stirring regularly: this lets the rice release its starch and turn creamy without becoming mushy. This version serves 4 people, in about 45 minutes.
Preparation
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Clean and slice the button mushrooms. Sear them for 5 minutes in a knob of butter, over high heat, then set them aside with their cooking juices.
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Finely slice the onion and garlic. Sweat them in the rest of the butter for 3 minutes, over low heat, without browning them.
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Add the rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat, until the grains become translucent at the edges.
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Pour in the white wine, if using, and let it evaporate almost completely while stirring.
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Add the hot stock ladle by ladle, stirring regularly and waiting for each ladle to be absorbed before the next, for 18 to 20 minutes.
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Halfway through cooking, stir in the reserved mushrooms and their juice. Keep adding stock until the rice is cooked but still slightly firm.
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Remove from the heat, stir in the parmesan and mix gently. Cover for a minute, then grind the Vanille Désiré Madagascar Voatsiperifery wild pepper directly over the risotto and serve immediately.
The little extra that changes everything
Keep the stock hot and gently simmering throughout cooking: cold stock slows down the rice’s cooking and harms its texture. Grind the wild pepper just before serving rather than during cooking, to preserve its flavour. To find out more about this spice, see our pages on wild pepper or black pepper and grinding wild pepper in a mortar or a mill. Wild pepper also appears in our scrambled eggs with wild pepper. Our products for this recipe: Madagascar wild pepper
