Szechuan Shiitake Risotto

4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons Szechuan peppercorns
  • 2 14-1/2-ounce cans beef broth
  • 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, stemmed
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
  • 1/3 cup minced shallots
  • 3/4 cup arborio or medium-grain white rice
  • 1/4 cup dry wine
  • 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Preparation:

Heat peppercorns in medium saucepan over high heat 1 minute. Add broth and mushrooms and bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat and steep 30 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl. Strain broth. Thinly slice mushrooms.

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots; sauté 3 minutes.

Stir in rice. Mix in wine and soy sauce and bring to boil. Add all but 1/2 cup broth. Simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, adding remaining 1/2 cup broth if necessary to make creamy, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes longer.

Season with salt and serve.