Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice uncooked
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 1 ounce porcini mushrooms dried
• 0.5 cup cooking wine dry white
• 1 tablespoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 14 ounce less-sodium beef broth canned
• 1 ounce mascarpone cheese 
• 1 ounce parmigiano-reggiano cheese grated
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 0.8 cup shallots chopped
• 2 cups water boiling

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• colander

Directions

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.
3. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm over low heat.
4. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; saut 5 minutes.
6. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).
7. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
8. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently until each portion of broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
9. Add mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently just until the cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired.