Sausage and Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 pound Italian sweet sausage
• 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, diced
• 6 cups chicken stock (use the best quality you can get)
• 1/4 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2/3 cup chopped white onion
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

In a saucepan, heat the chicken stock until it’s simmering and then keep warm over low heat.

While that’s warming, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the casings and break it up as you add it to the pan. Brown for a few minutes (toss to evenly cook). Add the mushrooms, and increase the heat to medium high and cook until the sausage is cooked and the mushrooms are tender. Add a little stock to deglaze – set aside the mushrooms and sausage in a bowl.

In the same saucepan, add the butter and when it’s melted and stopped foaming – add the onion and cook until it’s translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute.

Add the rice to the onion and garlic mixture and cook for a couple minutes to toast the rice.

Add the first cup of stock to the rice, and stir constantly until it’s been absorbed. From that point on, add it 1/2 cup ladle full at a time, slowly stirring while it absorbs the stock.

Cook for about 20-25 minutes until rice is tender, but firm to the bite. (Make sure you stop before it gets mushy). Add back the sausage and mushroom, season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the parmesan cheese, and serve.