Italian Sausage Risotto

When most people think of comfort food they think chicken pot pie, fried chicken, mac and cheese, etc.  All those are fab choices of course but when I think of comfort food I think Risotto.  I have yet to meet a risotto that I don't like.  Babe calls is "fancy cheese rice" lol.  It may very well be with all its variations and creaminess and yumminess.  LOVE risotto.

I found this recipe by accident actually.  My cousin tried another Giada recipe and I went over to http://www.foodnetwork.com/ to print it and found her Dirty Risotto recipe.  I was all over it!  People always make risotto seem so laborous but to me it is not in my opinion.  Just takes a little patience.

When I make risotto I use homemade stock but canned will do just fine.  I always have dry white wine to cook with but you can definitely substitute it with additional broth/stock. Additionally, I was out of Parm cheese so I used the white cheeses that I had on hand and it was great.

Italian Sausage Risotto
Adapted from http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/dirty-risotto-recipe/index.html

What You Will Need:

• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces pancetta or 2 strips of bacon, chopped
• 1 link (about 6 ounces) spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (or whatever color you have on hand)
• 4 ounces button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup shredded Romano
• 1/4 cup shredded Asiago
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves, optional 

   
What to do:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep warm over low heat. Or heat in the microwave as needed
• In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sausage and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, about 8 minutes. 
• Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely evaporated.
• Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth and stir until almost completely absorbed.
• 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 cheeses.
• Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately.