TRUFFLED RISOTTO

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
1 small onion, chopped
salt to taste
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup Marsala or sherry
5-6 cups very light vegetable broth (not too salty)
1/2 cup grated aged Parmesan cheese
2 oz. fresh white truffles (or as much as you can afford)

Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick saute pan, lower the flame, and stir the chopped onion in it, with a sprinkle of salt, until the onion is soft and barely beginnng to color. Meanwhile, heat the broth to a faint simmer and keep it hot.

Add the rice to the onion and stir over medium heat for about three minutes, then splash in the Marsala or sherry and stir quickly as it cooks away.

Add about a cup of the hot broth, lower the heat again, and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the broth is absorbed into the rice. Then add another cup of broth and stir again, always keeping the rice moist. Continue adding broth and stirring until the rice is perfectly cooked - it will take about 25 minutes, and the kernels should be tender but firm.

During the last few minutes, hand off the stirring to someone else so that you can shave or thinly slice the truffles. When the rice is al dente, stir in a final ladle of broth and the Parmesan cheese. Your table should be set, with warm, wide bowls waiting and wine poured. (If you cook risotto the way I do, with friends, the first bottle of wine is poured and drunk.)

Now, stir in the truffles, and serve the risotto. You can pass extra cheese at the table, but I advise going easy with it. The flavor and the fragrance of the truffles should dominate.

This is supposed to be enough risotto for six, but really, at my house four of us would eat it all.

Truffles: a note on cleaning and keeping them

Truffles must be cleaned thoroughly but carefully. I found that a mushroom brush works perfectly. If you don't have a mushroom brush or a soft vegetable brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush. Brush each truffle carefully all over, making sure to remove any grit or tiny bit of mold. If you come across a serious piece of mold, slice it off with a sharp knife. Avoid water, but if you feel for some reason that you must wash a truffle, do it just before using the truffle, and then blot the truffle dry before slicing.

Fresh truffles should be eaten as soon as possible, but if properly stored, truffles should keep well in the refrigerator for a week. I had excellent results with this method, recommended on the Oregon White Truffles website: bury the clean truffles entirely in rice or polenta, in a container that can be sealed tightly. This keeps the truffles from becoming damp, and also serves to perfume the rice or polenta.