wow guys and girls. it sure has been a while. lots and lots has happened, but I'll spare you the details in this post & get right down to BUSINESS: this risotto.
did I mention the east coast is having a terrible cold front at the moment? I woke up this morning and it was TEN degrees. TEN. I left a water bottle in my car to drink the next day (so thoughtful of me, right?) and that bad boy was frozen solid. I could have used it as a weapon.
the silver lining is that it does make this the perfect cold weather dish to come home and whip up. oh, and pour yourself a glass of wine - when you're cooking with it, the calories don't count.
I think people are intimidated by risotto, but it's really simple - I promise! just watch your heat levels and stir, baby, stir. it's a labor of love, but it will be SO worth it.
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tomato + Italian sausage risotto | adapted from smitten kitchen
ingredients | serves four pretty hungry people
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 bunch flat-leaf spinach (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 cups)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter
instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (and juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is cooked through and onion has softened. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
- Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed.
- Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).
- Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional parmesan because... I said so.
this isn't in our meal plan for this week but I think I'm going to have to add it in there....
bon appétit!
til next time,
#chefhaley