As promised, a more detailed recipe, with notes at the end...


Super Shroomy Risotto (single serving)

2.5-3 oz dried risotto mixture
1 T olive oil, divided
10 oz water, divided
5 grams dried wild mushrooms
5 grams dried tomatoes
7 grams parmesan cheese, divided

Bring 10 ounces water to a boil; remove from heat. Add 4 ounces water to dried mushrooms, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt in separate container, then cover and steep. Add about 2 t olive oil and risotto mixture to remaining water in the pot, cover and steep for about 30 minutes.

Drain the water from reconstituted mushrooms/tomatoes into the risotto, and put the pot on a medium flame, stirring frequently. When risotto is just shy of the desired texture and consistency (about 5 minutes), remove from heat. Stir in the mushrooms, tomatoes, and 2/3 of the parmesan. Cover and set for 2-3 minutes.

Top with drizzle of olive oil and remaining parmesan.



Notes:

As I metioned earlier in the thread, my "dried risotto mixture" is simply Trader Joe's frozen mushroom risotto dried for about 8 hours. It dried to about 1/4 its original weight. The TJ's stuff does have some oils and cheese in it, so I'd suggest using a paper towel to dab away the fats at some point. In this regard I actually think a homemade version made with low fats (so it dries effectively) might work out even better than the easier version here. If I were to try that, I would strive for the same parcooked level of doneness before drying--stopping cooking about 5-10 minutes before the risotto would normally be finished.

The instructions above may be somewhat involved for most folks. I'm planning a menu for six for an upcoming trip, and I'll have the cookware and patience to do it this way. I'm sure a single pot/mug version would work too.

For example, the simplest thing would be to reconstitute the mushrooms and tomatoes in the same pot/container as the risotto. I separated them in an effort to preserve the nice texture and wholeness of the dried wild shrooms (shiitake, porcini, oyster...another TJ's find!).

Of course, it's a risotto, so the possible ingredients and flavor combinations are many, even if you start with the very flexible mushroom-flavored variety. Enjoy! And let us all know if you try something else that works.