Wild Mushroom Risotto

• 1/4 cup dried wild mushrooms (boletes (porcini) and trumpets of death (black chanterelles) are particularly flavourful)
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 cup leeks, white part chopped
• 1 tbsp. fennel, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. red pepper, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup arborio rice (Italian rice)
• 2 cups chicken broth, boiling
• 1/2 tsp oregano – freshly dried Italian preferable
• salt, pepper to taste

Soak mushrooms in boiling water for at least 30 minutes, drain and save liquid.

Heat olive oil in heated frying pan and add the leeks. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add fennel and red pepper and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.

Add the rice and stir until evenly coated with the oil. Becomes translucent.

Add the mushroom liquid and stir until absorbed by the rice.

Add 1/2 cup of the broth, salt, pepper, oregano and the mushrooms. Stir until well mixed and liquid absorbed.

Keep adding 1/2 cup of the broth, stirring until liquid is absorbed. Do this until rice is soft and the liquid becomes milky in appearance. Decrease or increase total amount of broth as required.

Serve hot in a mound.