Service for 4

1oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 shallot
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms
2 cups orzo pasta
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cups hot water plus 1-2 cup beef or veal stock
1 T Marscapone
1/2 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan Cheese
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 T butter
parsley for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION

Rinse the mushrooms in cold water, remove and let rest on paper towel. Boil the water, add the dried porcini mushrooms and let sit for 20 minutes off the heat. Strain the mushrooms but reserve the liquid for cooking the orzo.

Sauté half the porcini and crimini mushrooms in a small amount of butter and olive oil. Set aside

Put oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot, add diced shallots, stirring occasionally until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let the shallots brown. Add the orzo pasta and half the porcini mushrooms, and stir to mix. Then add the white wine and cook till the wine evaporates. Add a pinch of salt. Then add mushroom stock to completely cover the orzo pasta, similar to how risotto is cooked.. Cook and stir occasionally till stock has just evaporated, then add more stock (mushroom then beef or veal stock). Continue until orzo is cooked to taste. Add 1/2 the sautéed mushrooms and let rest for 1 minute on stove but heat turned off. Use the rest of the mushroom to garnish the orzo risotto.

Sauté the remainder of mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil and set aside.

Off heat add the marscopone, more butter if needed and some parmesan cheese. Stir in all the remaining cooked mushrooms.

Garnish with parsley and more parmesan cheese.

Add more Parmesan cheese at the table if needed.

NOTES; Adding some black truffle butter at the end is also a great addition. If you choose to use chicken stock instead of beef stock some white truffle butter makes a nice addition.