Risotto with Morels

Method

1. Clean the morels: trim off the root end, cut in half lengthwise, soak in cold water for 4–5 minutes, then drain and rinse well.
2. For fresh morels: boil salted water, add the morels, cover, bring to a boil, skim off foam, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. (For dried morels: rehydrate in cold water for 40 minutes, discard water, rinse, then proceed as with fresh—but no pre-cooking needed.)
3. Dry-toast the rice in a pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and slightly whitened. Set aside.
4. Finely chop leek (or spring onion green part), chives, and garlic. Sauté in a pan with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over low heat until soft.
5. Cut the morels lengthwise and add them to the soffritto. Increase the heat to release their water, then add a glass of dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
6. Add a couple of ladles of hot vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for 7–8 minutes until the liquid reduces.
7. Add the toasted rice, stir, and begin cooking the risotto: add broth a ladle at a time, stirring often, until the rice is al dente (cook 2 minutes less than the package time). Keep the risotto well hydrated.
8. Remove from heat. Add the butter and grated Parmesan cheese, mixing vigorously to mantecare (cream). Cover and let rest for 2 minutes to finish cooking.
9. Serve the risotto on a plate, spreading it evenly. Garnish with fresh chives and a grind of black pepper. (Optional: add a pinch of saffron during the mantecatura for extra aroma and color.)