Spinach and porcini risotto

This recipe has a deep earthiness from both the dried porcini and the irony spinach. These flavours are mellowed and balanced by the addition of the butter, Parmesan and mascarpone at the end, leaving you with a rich and unctuous plate of food. Please don’t be put off by the quantity of butter in this recipe! As I see it, risotto is a treat so if you’re going to make it, then throw caution to the wind and use plenty of butter – it does make a difference. I would also say that the quality of any risotto relies on the stock you use so if possible, use a good, deeply flavoured stock. A watery, insipid stock will give you a lifeless risotto.

A note on the saucepan you should use for the risotto. Don’t use a shallow and wide pan as the stock will boil off too quickly – better to use a saucepan that has slightly higher sides. For this quantity, I would suggest a saucepan that has a diameter of around 22cm.