A deeply savoury. creamy risotto built around a quick Gewurzhaus Umami Blend stock and garnished with sauteed mushrooms. Finish with butter, parmesan and fresh parsley, this is comfort food that you'll keep coming back to.

Ingredients:

• *Umami Stock: *1 litre boiling water

Risotto:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 4 strips of lemon rind
• 250g Swiss brown mushrooms, finely diced
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1½ cup arborio rice
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 125ml white wine
• 30g unsalted butter
• 30g parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve
• Small handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Mushroom Garnish:

• 150g oyster or beech mushrooms, roughly chopped or torn
• 150g shiitake mushrooms, roughly chopped or torn
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1sp Gewurzhaus Umami Stock
• Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Umami Stock:

1. Combine 1 tablespoon of Umami Blend with the boiling water and stir well to infuse. Set aside and keep warm.

Risotto:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the lemon rind and cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic, then set aside.
2. Add the diced Swiss brown mushrooms, a pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes until soft and browned. Remove from the pan and set aside, working in batches if necessary.
3. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 6–7 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
4. Return the mushrooms and lemon rind to the pan, then add the rice and thyme. Stir well to coat, then cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and stir for 3 minutes until absorbed and the alcohol has cooked off.
5. Add the warm umami stock one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next. Continue until the risotto is creamy and the rice has a slight al dente bite. Stir through the butter and parmesan and season to taste. Turn off the heat and rest while you prepare the garnish.

Mushroom Garnish:

1. Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a small drizzle of olive oil until very hot.
2. Add the mushrooms and sear for 4–5 minutes without stirring until golden and caramelised. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 teaspoon of Umami Blend and toss for a further 2 minutes until the garlic is cooked. Season with flaky sea salt and black pepper.

To Serve:

1. Add a splash of the remaining stock to the risotto to loosen to a pourable consistency. Spoon into bowls, top with the mushroom garnish and parsley, and finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and extra parmesan.