Gordon Ramsay reveals secret to 'best' risotto recipe that is the perfect autumnal dish

Gordon Ramsay's luxurious take on risotto - a classic dinner-time dish - is quick and easy to make, and the perfect meal for autumn.

Anyone who has ever watched Hell's Kitchen knows that risotto is one of the dishes Gordon Ramsay forces the contestants to prepare during the dinner service. 

Ramsay is also known for his unique take on the traditional dish.

Chef Jason Santos, a restaurateur and cookbook author who appeared on Season 7 of Hell's Kitchen said of the TV chef's risotto: "It blows out everything you've ever learned.

"I think the way [Gordon Ramsey] makes the risotto is different from anything I've seen in my life — you take everything you know about risotto and throw it out the window to make it his way. It's sincerely the best I've ever had and I've made it the same way ever since."

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How to make Gordon Ramsay's mushroom barley risotto with truffle cheese:

Ingredients

For the mushroom stock:

• 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 ounce dried mushrooms such as porcini
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil

Barley Risotto:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 leek, white and light green parts thinly sliced into half moons, rinsed to remove any grit
• 1 pound mushrooms such as shiitake, stems removed and ends trimmed, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 cup pearl barley
• Kosher salt
• ½ cup white wine
• 2 ounces truffle cheese such as boschetto al tartufo or or truffle Taleggio, cut into small cubes or grated
• Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

Make the Mushroom Stock: Pour a small splash of olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add fresh mushrooms, carrot, onion, garlic and a small pinch of kosher salt and sweat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure nothing burns.

Add the dried mushrooms, pour in 10 cups of water and bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 30.

Remove from heat and strain into a medium stock pot, pressing down on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables and place the strained stock over very low heat to keep warm while you make the risotto.

Make the risotto: Melt butter and melt over medium heat. Add shallot, leeks, and a pinch of salt and saute for 3-5 minutes, until they start to soften.

Add mushrooms and thyme and continue to cook, stirring occasionally before adding barley and a small pinch of salt and let toast for 1-2 minutes.

Add white wine to deglaze and scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and cook for a few minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour in a ladle of mushroom stock.

Stir frequently until the most of the liquid has been absorbed by the barley. Continue this process of adding a ladle of stock and stirring until it has absorbed for about 30-40 minutes, when the barley is tender but still has a bit of a bite to it.

Remove from heat and stir in truffle cheese and lemon zest. Taste for seasoning and adjust, if needed.

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