Risotto Remake

**Linking to Tasty Tuesday at Beauty and Bedlam!


Giovanni's Mushroom and Italian Sausage Risotto
 My Way

I am a major food lover.  Cooking is one of my favorite ways to be creative in a non-musical way, not to mention it's a great stress reliever at the end of a long day.

Last night I decided to re-create the Mushroom and Italian Sausage Risotto from Giovanni's in Nashville.  No matter how many times I go to Giovanni's telling myself I WILL try something new that I haven't ordered before, I end up ordering the Risotto!

My brand new Le Creuset French Oven was begging me to be used.  Literally begging.  Every time I walk past my stove, I can hear it! Seriously. Who can resist this??

Image Source at Le Crueset

So, risotto it is!

Here is the recipe I used to recreate it:

3 Hot Italian Sausage Links

1 large Portabello Mushroom, chopped

8 large White Button Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 shallot, chopped

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 cup Arborio Rice

4 cups low sodium Chicken broth

2 tablespoons finely chopped Chives

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1.)  Warm Chicken Broth in pot over low/med heat.  Don't boil.

2.)  Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil in (Le Creuset!) pot.  Add mushrooms and saute until warmed through - about  7 minutes.  Mushrooms will cook down and create liquid in pot.  Remove mushrooms and liquid and set aside.

3.)  Add another tbsp of Olive Oil to the same (now empty) pot.  Throw in chopped Shallot, being careful to stir and not burn!  After 1 minute, add the Italian Sausages.  Break up the sausage into bite sized pieces and smaller as it cooks with the Shallot.

4.)  Once Italian Sausage is cooked through, pour in the Arborio Rice.  Stir thoroughly to coat rice with juices from the sausage and the shallots.   Add 1/2 cup of Chicken Broth.  Stir every 30 seconds or so (Basically stir a lot!)  until the rice has fully absorbed the liquid.  Continue adding the Broth 1/2  cup at a time, making sure that the rice absorbs the liquid before adding new broth.

5.)  Once all the broth has been added (or once the rice is al dente to taste), add the mushrooms (and their liquid), the chives, and cheese into the pot and stir all together.  Salt and Pepper to taste.  Serves 4 with sides.

Viola!  Grub it up!

For a vegetarian option, simply eliminate the meat, and use Vegetable Broth instead of Chicken Broth.   This risotto, sans the sausage, is also a great side for grilled steak or chicken!  

Next to come:  The delicioso Artichoke and Bean Crostini that Giada basically forced me make.

Sneak Peek:

Thank goodness for leftovers.

xo,

k