Mushroom Risotto

This is my adapted version of a recipe from Martha Stewart's Living magazine. It's an elegant, impressive dish that would be perfect for a romantic dinner or an intimate dinner party. It would do well served with a romaine salad, crusty European bread, and a bottle of wine.

1/2 c. walnuts or pine nuts (I like the pine nuts, but they can be pricey.)
1/2 c. fresh basil - Dried herbs will not work for this recipe.
1/2 c. fresh parsley - Dried herbs will not work for this recipe. You can omit the parsley and use 1 full c. of fresh basil instead.
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 t. salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 c. and 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups arborio rice - This is an expensive rice, but it cooks to a creamy risotto. It is the traditional risotto rice.
1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 c. dry white wine, like Chardonnay
5 1/2 c. vegetable broth (I used vegetable boullion.)

1. Toast the nuts by placing them in a small, nonstick skillet over medium heat. They should be in a single layer. Shake the pan around while toasting to move the nuts across the surface and prevent burning. When you begin to smell the nuts (just a few minutes), they are ready. Remove them from the heat.
2. Make the pesto by first pulsing the nuts in a food processor until they are coarsely ground, then adding the herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process until everything is ground. Pour the oil in while the machine is running until everything is puréed. Set aside.
3. Bring the rice, mushrooms, wine, and 2 c. of broth to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, until liquid has been absorbed. This takes about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high. Continue this cycle with 1/2 c. of broth at a time: add broth, cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed, add broth, cook and stir, etc. It will take 20 - 25 minutes to get all liquid absorbed. Once all liquid has been cooked in, remove the risotto from the heat. Stir about 1/2 of the pesto (more if you like) into the risotto, then serve the risotto immediately, topped with the remaining pesto.