Rick’s been working hard on our new home (removing layers of old flooring, ouch) so I wanted to make him a hearty, manly meal but wanted it to be extra-special in some way. Why not risotto?
What I love most about this risotto is that it’s quit filling with the addition of the sausage but seems light because of the lemon zest.
To start; In a medium pot, bring the broth to a simmer.
In a large heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and mushrooms and saute until tender, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 25 to 30 minutes total.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese and lemon zest. Transfer the risotto to serving bowls. Sprinkle with the scallions and serve immediately. Makes 4 hearty servings.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
5cups chicken broth, low-sodium
2tbl butter, unsalted
2 links Italian chicken sausage, casing removed (spicy or sweet)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4oz baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
1¼cups arborio rice
1/4cup asiago cheese, grated
1 lemon, zest only
3 scallions, sliced thin
salt/pepper
Emily's Kitchen 