Risotto With Peas And Sausage Recipes

RISOTTO WITH PEAS AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place stock in a saucepan and keep on low heat.
• Heat oil in a separate heavy 3-quart saucepan. Add leeks and garlic and sauté on medium-low until leeks are translucent. Stir in sausage or veal, if using. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add in rice and cook a few minutes, stirring, until grains start to whiten. Add wine and cook until it's nearly evaporated.
• Add a 1/2 cup of the warm stock and the peas. Stir and cook at a steady simmer until the stock has nearly evaporated. Add another 1/2 cup of the stock, stir from time to time until it's nearly evaporated. Keep this up until the rice is almost al dente, the peas are tender and there's only a little stock left. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in lemon zest and remaining stock; the result should be creamy. Cook another minute or two. Fold in butter.
• Divide risotto among 4 to 6 shallow soup plates. Top each portion with cheese and chives. Serve.

SAUSAGE AND SPRING PEA RISOTTO WITH LEMON AND PARMESAN

Steps:

• Remove sausage from casings; discard casings. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Turn off heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausage to a paper-towel-lined plate, keeping as much oil in the pan as possible.
• Meanwhile, wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel, and mince shallot. Zest and quarter lemon (quarter both lemons for 4 servings). Combine 4 cups water (7 cups for 4) and stock concentrate in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so mixture is at a low simmer.
• Heat pan with reserved oil over medium heat. Add 1 TBSP butter, shallot, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes.
• Add ½ cup stock and rice to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring, until liquid has mostly absorbed. Continue adding warm stock ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition and letting liquid absorb before adding more. Continue until rice is al dente and creamy, 25-30 minutes.
• Once risotto has finished cooking, stir in sausage, peas, half the Parmesan, 2 TBSP butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice (to taste). Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Divide risotto between bowls. Top with lemon zest and remaining Parmesan. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.

RISOTTO WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Add the butter and olive oil to a medium skillet (cast iron works great). We use nonstick for convenience at the restaurant. When the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the garlic and then add the rice. Stir the rice and garlic to coat with the oil and butter. Once completely coated, stirring for about a minute, add some of the stock until the rice is slightly covered. Continue to add the stock slowly as the stock is absorbed by the rice. Reduce to medium heat and stir occasionally to prevent sticking to skillet.
• Once the rice has cooked for 5 to 10 minutes, add the saffron. Continue to add the stock slowly, covering the rice with stock, allowing it to absorb into the rice while cooking and then recovering the rice with stock. This process will be repeated until the rice is cooked to desired tenderness. As the saffron is slowly absorbed into the rice, the risotto will turn a brilliant yellow. If you use stringy style saffron it should all be broken down and absorbed by the time the risotto is finished. (The powder version takes less time to absorb.)
• Slowly reduce the amount of chicken stock that is added as you reach the desired tenderness, about 45 minutes. Once this magical point is reached, stir in the cheese.
• Add the sausage to a medium pot of boiling water. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes depending on size and style of sausage. (Don't pierce the sausage.)
• Place the desired serving size of risotto on a plate or pasta bowl. Garnish by sprinkling a medium circle of cheese in the middle of the risotto and sprinkle a smaller circle of parsley on top for color. Peel the sausage, slice lengthwise in half and line the boarder of each side of the risotto with the sausage. (Optionally, cut the sausage in 1/4-inch pieces on the bias and add to the risotto before plating.)