SOUTHWESTERN SAFFRON RISOTTO WITH MEAT AND MUSHROOMS

Southwestern Saffron Risotto with Meat and Mushrooms image

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 11

Pinch of saffron
2 cups chicken broth
4 tablespoons rendered goose fat or olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
5 ounces smoked goose or turkey breast, diced
1 cup diced porcini, morels, or some other, more readily available mushrooms
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

Soak the saffron in 3 tablespoons warm water.
Bring 4 cups water and the chicken broth to a boil in a small saucepan. Keep warm but not boiling, and stir in the saffron with its water.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the goose fat or olive oil in a heavy frying pan, such as a Dutch oven, toss in the onion, and sauté until golden. Pour in the white wine, and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Scatter the rice over the onion, and stir until it becomes pearly white and shiny. Ladle on a quarter of the warm bouillon, and simmer while stirring until it is absorbed.
Continue cooking the rice while stirring, adding a ladleful of the liquid at a time and letting it be absorbed before adding another ladleful, about 20 minutes total.
Heat the remaining goose fat or olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the diced goose or turkey breast and mushrooms, and stir while cooking until the mushrooms are cooked through. Stir in the fresh thyme, and set aside until the risotto is done.
Fold the meat and mushrooms into the risotto, add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, cover, and let sit for a minute or two. Sprinkle with the parsley, and serve warm.