Risotto is one of my all time favourite dishes for so many reasons.
It’s the ultimate comfort food…easy, creamy and flavourful.
The base ingredients keep so well in our tiny galley…rice, garlic, onion, chicken broth and parm.
Easy to throw together…gather the ingredients and 20 minutes later…pure Italian heaven!
With a few additions the basic recipe can be transformed into a multitude of options.
This next recipe inspired by Smitten Kitchen by way of Martha Stewart
seemed like quite a departure from how I usually make risotto.
No chicken broth.
But WOW was it ever good!
Whether you choose mild or spicy sausage is a matter of taste.
I chose the spicy sausage and added no extra seasonings.
The result was packed full of flavour with such an appealing colour
and oh-my-god-can’t-stop-eating Arancini leftovers.
(see the details below for the making of my fave of all leftover dishes)
ITALIAN SAUSAGE and TOMATO RISOTTO
4 servings
what you will need
28 oz tin diced tomatoes + 3 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
4 Italian sausage links, casings removed
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3-4 generous cups kale, chopped and stems removed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan + extra to garnish
2 tbsp butter
ready to cook
In a small saucepan heat tomatoes and water to simmer point and set aside.
In a larger saucepan heat oil
and sauté garlic and onion for a minute or two.
Throw in sausage links, breaking into small pieces as it browns.
Add rice and kale and continue to stir for another couple of minutes
to blend all those wonderful juices together.
Deglaze with white wine, stirring until the liquid is absorbed.
Begin adding the tomatoes, about 2 cups at a time,
stirring until liquid is absorbed after each addition.
You may or may not need all the liquid
depending on how much juice was in your brand of tomatoes.
Once the rice is cooked and the mixture has taken on a creamy texture
stir in the 1/2 cup of Parmesan and butter.
Scoop into bowl and garnish with extra Parmesan
for Arancini
Add 2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup Panko
to about 3 cups leftover risotto
Scoop spoons full of the mixture,
form into balls (about 3″ round then flattened),
and coat with extra Panko.
Fry in a bit of oil until crispy and lightly browned.
No extra seasonings were necessary.
…just a squeeze of fresh lemon.
I honestly would make risotto
just to be able to binge on these.
