Directions

• Bring chicken stock to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Add porcini mushrooms to a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Let them reconstitute.
• Preheat a large skillet. Drizzle with olive oil. Add onions and a little kosher salt. Add rice and more olive oil until rice is coated in olive oil.
• Sauté the rice until the edges are translucent. Add garlic.
• Add the red wine and stir until the rice absorbs it. Then add enough chicken stock to cover the rice. Turn the heat to low. Stir the rice frequently to prevent sticking and develop creaminess.
• Add the mushrooms and their stock, being careful not to add the last bit of stock at the bottom of the bowl—dried mushrooms almost always have a little sand in them.
• Continue to add a little chicken stock at a time as the rice absorbs it and until the rice is tender.
• When the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid, add shrimp, if desired. When the shrimp turn pink, add spinach. Stir until wilted.
• Add butter and cheese. Stir to combine and melt cheese. Finish the dish by stirring in the fresh basil at the very end.