Autumn has arrived: here is a tasty recipe to Help You Celebrate the First Day of Fall!

The sights, sounds and smells of fall stir the soul, but delight is mixed with melancholy. Autumn can mean  a sort of sadness which is not entirely unwelcome; a sort of sober, slowing-down of the spirit, leaving us much given to reflection. Indeed for anyone capable of looking up from their screen, for anyone in the slightest way alive to the rhythms of the natural world and its sights and sounds and smells, autumn has a peculiar personality of its own which is powerfully attractive. This is a season brimming with the highest level gastronomy, amidst the colours of the grape harvest and noble flavours. Mushrooms, truffles and chestnuts: the fruits of Autumn are venerated and special, like all Italian recipes which exploit abundant quality. I’ll give you a fantastic surf and turf recipe that combines the rich flavors of prawns and mushrooms.

Prawn and Porcini Risotto

Servings 4

     ¼ oz langoustines, medium

    ⅝ lb Carnaroli rice

    3 ½ oz Porcini Mushrooms

    1 ¾ oz onion

    ½ teaspoon garlic, chopped

    6 cups fish broth

    ¾ oz butter

    3 ½ tablespoons white wine

    ¼ cup olive oil

    salt and pepper to taste

 

Preparation

30 minutes preparation + 16 minutes cooking

Clean the prawns and separate the heads from the tails. Use a pairing knife to make an incision on the underside of the belly and use your finger to remove the meat, placing it in a bowl. Use the heads to make a fumet (a reduced broth), using about 6 cups of water and 2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for at least 20 minutes. Then keep warm.

Clean the mushrooms by cutting off the tips of the stems and wash, if necessary, with a wet dishcloth. Then cut into thin slices.

Place a pot over medium heat. Add oil, and once it is hot, add crushed garlic. Do not let it brown. Once slightly golden, add the prawn meat and mushrooms.

Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the rice and toast it for a couple of minutes or until it becomes transparent. Then add the wine and, once almost all of it has evaporated, add a couple ladlefuls of boiling, filtered fumet. Lower the heat and continue to add fumet, a ladleful at a time, as it is absorbed by the rice.

After about 12 minutes, add washed, chopped arugula. After 5 more minutes, adjust the salt and pepper. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter and cognac.

Before serving, check to see if the risotto is too dry. If so, add more fumet or hot water. Stir and serve immediately.