Wine Cap and Fennel Risotto

Last weekend I bought some wine cap mushrooms from New England Wild Edibles at the farmers market. I had never tried them before. They look a little like portobellos, but have more flavor. A little poking around on the Internet found that they pair well with flavors like fennel, citrus, and wine. So I pulled some fennel out of my garden and concocted this risotto, which was delicious. The end result has a rather earthy color from the mushrooms; if you want a little more bright green, chop up some of the fennel leaves and stir them in at the last minute.

1 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 cups diced wine cap mushrooms
1-2 cups diced fresh fennel (bulb plus stalks if tender)
1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Several cups veggie broth (or water if you like)
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in Dutch oven or similar heavy-bottomed pot. Add the mushrooms and fennel and saute until they just become tender. Add the rice and saute for 1-2 minutes, until it turns translucent. Add the wine and cook over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in the lemon juice, then add the veggie broth 1/2 cup at a time, each time simmering and stirring until the liquid is almost totally absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. Continue this process for 20-30 minutes, until the rice is extremely tender and the risotto takes on a somewhat creamy texture. At that point, lightly sprinkle the nutmeg over the risotto, then stir in the salt and pepper.

Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.