Golden Chanterelle Risotto with Leeks

Clean and sort the chanterelles by size. Small bite-sized buttons should be reserved to saute as a garnish, larger ones can be finely chopped or cut into bite-sized pieces.

Cut the leeks in half, removing most of the leafy green top and an outer layer or two until only the tender green and yellow parts remain. Put the leeks cut-side down on a cutting board, cut lengthwise into ¼ inch slices, keeping the root intact to hold them together. Dice the leeks, rinse in a bowl of water, drain and reserve.

In a 3 quart or similarly-sized sauce pot, sweat the chopped chanterelles and leeks in half of the oil with a pinch of salt and the thyme until the leeks are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the splash of wine, stir until absorbed,

Begin adding the chicken stock, a ladle at a time, waiting until the liquid is absorbed before adding more. You may not need all of the stock.

Meanwhile, quickly brown the chanterelle button garnish in a pan with the remaining oil. Adding a pinch of salt at the end.

When the rice is tender, turn the heat off, add the butter and cheese and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. The risotto should be thick, creamy, and loose enough that it will be flat when spooned into a bowl. If needed, adjust the consistency with a splash of stock.

Spoon the risotto into four small serving bowls, garnish with the sauteed chanterelles, sprinkle with chives and serve.

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