There’s no denying the fact that wine finds a permanent place in the kitchen of many households for cooking. It goes well especially to cook seafood and is known to add flavour to your food. But, by no means is wine the only spirit that can be used for cooking. Whisky is increasingly venturing out of the drinks cabinet and making its way to various recipes. The malty spirit can be used to enhance the flavours in a sweet as well as a savoury dish.
From appetisers to desserts, a splash of whisky can elevate the dish by creating unique layers of flavour. This is because whisky is a grain liquor that can be seen as the equivalent version of salt. So, it can bring out the smoke in cured meats or sea in seafood or sweetness in desserts. Plus, whisky goes through a unique ageing process which gives it a wide range of flavours from peaty to citrus that your dish can soak up for an unparalleled taste.
If you are excited about cooking with scotch, here’s a Mushroom Risotto Recipe to get you started.
Ingredients
55gms Dried Mushrooms
500gms Mushrooms, cleaned and torn into large pieces
1litre Boiling Water, divided
360gms Risotto Rice
1 Onion, chopped
1 to 2tbsps of Black & White Whisky
4 to 6tbsps Butter, divided
4tbsps Olive Oil, divided
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Method:
Start the recipe by soaking the dried mushrooms in 250ml boiling water. After 15 minutes, remove the mushrooms and squeeze the liquid out.
Chop the mushrooms and reserve the mushroom water.
Now, take a shallow pan and put about 3 to 4tbsps of butter and 2tbsps olive oil. Add the other 500gms mushrooms with chopped onion and cook over medium heat until they turn brown.
Remember to keep stirring them to avoid uneven heating. The extra liquid evaporates as you cook them, but if not, you can always use it in the risotto.
Let it cook for 35 to 40 minutes.
Add Black & White whisky during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Next, take a medium saucepan and melt 1 to 2tbsps butter and 2tbsps olive oil over medium heat. Now, add the rice and cook it for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat.
Stir in chopped mushrooms and add the reserved mushroom water.
Simmer until the liquid gets absorbed. Stir frequently. Continue to add boiling water and wait till liquid gets absorbed before adding the next measure.
Cook until the rice is moist and tender, till about 35 to 40 minutes. Add additional whisky after the 25-minute mark, if desired.
Serve the risotto into bowls and top it with mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Voila!
Let us know how the recipe turned out for you and if you’d like to see some more such interesting recipes.
*Drink Responsibly!
