6 cups chicken broth (I use Swanson 99% fat free, but homemade is great, if you have it)
1 cup water
2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/3 cup finely minced onion
2 cups Carnaroli rice (or arborio, or vialone nano)
1 cup white wine
12-14 oz fresh mushrooms (button, cremini, shiitake, or a mix), sliced
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
Black pepper, to taste (be generous!)
Bring broth to boil in a large pot and set aside at a simmer on the
stove. In a microwave, boil 1 cup water in a glass measuring cup, then
add dried mushrooms, and set aside. Heat oil in a large straight-sided
sauté pan. Add onion, and sauté until soft. Stir in the rice, making
sure to coat each grain, and let toast for 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from
heat, and stir in the wine. When the liquid is absorbed, begin adding
broth, 1 ladleful at a time, letting each bit of liquid be absorbed. In
the meantime, when the dried mushrooms are soft, strain and reserve the
liquid. After 3 cups of broth are added, pour in the mushroom soaking
water, being careful to leave behind the sediment in the bottom of the
measuring cup. After 5 cups of broth are added, stir in the fresh
mushrooms.
Continue adding one more cup of broth, reserving 1/4 cup. Stir until mushrooms have given off their liquid and almost all of the liquid in the pan has been absorbed by the rice. Remove pan from heat. Add butter and cheese, and stir vigorously for 2 minutes. Add in reserved 1/4 cup broth, if needed to finish cooking the rice. Season to taste with lots of black pepper, and salt if needed, and serve immediately.