Instructions: Soak the dried porcini in the tepid water for 15 minutes then squeeze dry reserving the soaking liquor.

Simmer the rice in a large pan of boiling lightly salted water until al dente.

Drain and if the starch still remains rinse with a kettle of boiling water.

Meanwhile fry the onion gently until soft without colouring.

Add the fresh mushrooms soaked porcini and parsley together with a little salt to help extract the juices of the mushrooms.

Mix the rice with the mushrooms adding 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquor for moisture. Mix the vinaigrette ingredients together thoroughly and stir into the rice.

Adjust the seasoning and serve chilled.

Salad is sornething you usually associate with summer. For this dish you have to choose a lovely late summers day becauseyou want to use wild mushrooms which are in the main available fom thc beginning of August to the end of October. I use the best risotto rice available carnaroli not for the creaminess for which it is famous and which is normally the reasonfor choosing it but for the big big grains which being very absorbent swell up and remain slighty al dente. For the mushrooms you will need at least three different kinds but you can use as many asyou wish. At this time of yearyou can find ceps horn of plenty and oyster mushrooms buty ou should always check a refernce book before picking them (qv Mushrooms reference book). If wild mushrooms are not available the best replaccments are the cultivated shiitake oyster and button mushrooms with the addition of some dried porcini for taste.

Serves 4

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