Due to the fact, that I travel alot for my Company, I dislike having too much food about as it expires .. So, with this in mind, and a gift from a friend who was in the Pyrenées of Lerida, Cataluna, who brought me the most handsome wild mushrooms, and the Bell Pep Challenge, and the un-opened Italian Carnaroli Rice, I had decided to stuff the red bells with Mushroom Risotto ..
So here is the Mushroom Risotto Recipe and the Stuffed Bells shall follow ..
Risotto with Wild Mushrooms:
1 Stick of French 82% or Asturian Butter or similar 82% butterfat
1 onion minced or 2 tiny shallots
2 cups of Italian Bio Carnaroli or Arborio
2 cups of Italian White Wine
3 1 / 2 Cups of Chicken stock or vegetable stock ( broth )
1 / 2 cup of freshly grated Reggiano Parmesano or Pecorino Sardo (Sardegna) or Pecorino Romano
1 Cup of wild mushrooms or White Caps or any mushrooms of choice
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and herbs or spices of choice
( garlic optional and a dried red horn tiny crumbly chili pep )
1) Melt 1 / 4 cup butter in a heavy large sauce pan over low to medium flame.
2) Add the shallot or onion and sauté until translucent ( ab out 2 mins. )
3) Add the rice and stir for 30 seconds and add the wine and cook for approx. 10 mins.
4) Add the salt and freshly ground pepper and herbs or spices (fresh parsley, oregano, basil, majoram or savoury and a pinch of thyme and / or rosemary ..
5) Bring 3 .5 cups of broth, vegetable or chicken to simmer in a medium saucepan.
6) Reduce heat to low and cover.
7 ) Add the stock ( 1 / 2 cup ) to the rice mixture and the mushrooms and reduce flame and simmer on low.
8) When liquid begins to reduce, pour in remaining stock and put the rest of the butter ..
9) Now, cook until rice is tender and mushrooms are tender ..
10) Approx. 20 minutes but one needs to keep eye on, depending on rice used and mushrooms. White caps cook much quicker than Wild Boletus Eduli.
11) Now, add in the Risotto, the Grated cheese, adjust salt and spices / herbs and freshly ground pepper.
Now, it is ready ..
This risotto is going to be used to stuff the Bells .. I chose red bells as I adore their sweetness ..
Stuffed Red Bell Peppers:
1) Pre heat Oven .. and rinse the bells once you have sacked the core, pith & seeds ..
2) To stuff the bells, slice off the top, so that it shall be utilised as a lid or cover ..
3) Sack the core of seeds and pith inside the bells.
4) Stuff the peppers with the cooled Risotto. ( Spoon in the peppers )
5) Before placing the risotto filled bells into a glass casserole or oven ware, suited for the bells to stand up vertically, place a cup of broth in the casserole as you do not want dry bells.
6) Rub the bells with Evoo and place in the casserole ..
7) Bake uncovered for approx 30 - 40 minutes.
8) Baste the Stuffed bells ..
9) Test the tenderness of the bells and if they are browning and tender, they are ready, and if not tender, cover with aluminum foil and bake until tender ( another 15 to 20 mins., one hour total )
Photo to be installed when they come out of oven. I am preparing now ..
Have a lovely day & weekend ..
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