Carmela Soprano's Risotto with Truffles and Champagne

The Queen and Mother's Day got me thinking about The Sopranos.

I don't know why.

Maybe it's early dementia.

Whatever... 

It was fun cooking my way through Carmela's Entertaining with the Sopranos.

No, really, it was.

Last February I posted a recipe for Tomato Sauce from The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Yes, the Sunday Gravy recipe.
It also includes a recipe for meatballs.

The post got quite a few visits.

And a few requests for the recipe for Ma's Tomato Sauce.

Which I also posted.

The Sopranos Family Cookbook has a total of 99 recipes.

Some seem like a slight variation of a recipe in Carmela's Entertaining with the Sopranos.

But, that still leaves quite a few recipes to try.

Or at least look at.

Risotto with Truffles and Champagne, as written in the Cibo D' Amore chapter, is a basic recipe.

Supposedly it was from Adriana.

On a hostess's salary?

I don't think so.

It has Carmela written all over it.

About the truffle...

If you are using a jarred truffle, chop it fine and stir it into the risotto.

If it's a fresh truffle, spoon out the cooked rice onto two plates, then, with a vegetable peeler, shave the truffle over the risotto.

My local grocers cracked up when I asked if they had truffles.

No fresh.

No jarred.

Hey, this is Winnipeg, north end.

Fine.  

I bought a large brown mushroom.

I chopped it fine and stirred it into the risotto.

So there.

This serves two.
Feeding more than two?

Do the math.

                        Risotto with Truffles and Champagne

In a saucepan combine

2 Cups beef broth

3 Cups water

Simmer over very low heat.

In a dutch oven melt over medium heat

2 Tablespoons butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Add

1/4 Cup minced shallots, or onion

Cook for 5 minutes.

Add 

1 Cup medium-grain rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)

Stir for 1 minute.

Add

1/2 Cup Champagne or dry white wine

Cook, stirring, until most of the wine is absorbed.

Add

1/2 Cup of the broth

Continue cooking, stirring until liquid is absorbed.

Repeat with the remaining broth, 1/2 Cup at a time.

If you are using a jarred truffle, add the liquid to the rice.

Add

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

After about 20 minutes, the liquid should all be absorbed, yet the rice will be al dente,

tender yet firm to the bite, moist and creamy.

If it's dry you can add water.

Stir in 

1 Tablespoon butter

the prepared jarred truffle

Serve immediately.

Would I make Risotto with Truffles and Champagne?

Sure.

With a large brown mushroom and dry white wine.

Hey, do I look like Carmela?

Two recipes down.  Ninety-seven more to go.