Making risotto is not the basis of a quicky meal, but it is delicious and comforting in a way that just can’t be achieved by boiling up some instant rice. Yuck!
Here are the basic directions for risotto, and I’d suggest just reading through them if this is your first time so that you understand how the process works. The directions below are a bit abbreviated, so check the link above if anything doesn’t make sense.
Red Pepper Risotto with Italian Sausage
5 c (40 oz) chicken broth
1/2 lb sausage
Olive oil
1/2 c onion, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1-1/2 c arborio rice
1/3 c white wine (non-alcoholic cooking wine is fine)
1/2 t salt
Parmesan cheese, fresh
Bring the broth to a simmer and keep it warm. Brown the sausage in a large skillet or stock pot. I prefer to use a heavy stockpot for the whole process so that I can stir without worrying about slopping the mixture out. Remove sausage and brown the veggies. Remove veggies and drain fat. Set both the sausage and veggies aside. Add some olive oil and heat. Add the dry rice, stirring and heating for a minute or so. Add the wine and salt; cook one minute stirring constantly. Add the broth, 1/2 c at a time, stirring constantly until each portion is absorbed. This usually takes at least 20 minutes. Add sausage and veggies back in and heat through. Top with grated or thin sliced cheese to serve.
Well, personally I just use the wine that I drink. I only put in the cooking wine option for folks who want to totally avoid having alcohol in their homes. Thanks for the link!
I notice you call for cooking wine. Any brands you’d suggest? I’ve had a lot of luck with these guys: http://www.academiewines.com. They blend nice wines for cooking (and you can drink a glass while you cook, which I really like).
Thanks for the recipe – can’t wait to try it!
Frank, it’s not difficult at all…just fiddly! Read through the basic directions at the link if you haven’t made it before. There’s no other cooking method for rice that ends up with this creamy texture. I hope you enjoy it
This looks and sounds great. I have always been scared to even try cooking risotto, but recipe for cooking doesn’t seem that hard. I’m going to give it a try next week.