A Lot o' Risotto

Risotto is one of my favorite meals. Although labor intensive, the creamy results are definitely worth the wait. Risotto is made with arborio rice, an Italian-grown grain that's shorter and fatter than any other short-grain rice. Arborio is traditionally used for risotto because its high starch content lends this classic dish its requisite creamy texture. Here's a look at regular long-grained enriched rice on the left, arborio rice in the center and on the right, its longer and leaner counterpart, basmati rice.

Risotto is a virtual blank slate for a variety of flavors. For tonight's risotto, I chose to add some ground Italian sausage, red bell pepper, zucchini and thyme. I started by browning the sausage in the pan.

In another pan, I sauteed the zucchini and red bell pepper in a little olive oil, then added the thyme right as I took the vegetables off the heat. Because the vegetables were going to be added to the finished risotto, I was sure not to overcook them.

Once the sausage had browned, I removed it from the pan and set it aside. I then added chopped onion to the pan and allowed it to brown as well, and then added minced garlic. Once the onion and garlic were cooked, the uncooked rice was added to the pan and gently toasted.

The rice starts to crackle when it's good and toasted - this is a sign that the pan is ready to be deglazed. I poured in about a cup of wine and started to loosen the flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pan. The rule is, always cook with a wine that you're willing to drink. I'm partial to B&G Vouvray.

Once the majority of the wine cooked off, it was time to start slowly adding the chicken stock. I had a saucepan full of hot chicken stock on the stove and added it, two ladlefulls at a time, to the risotto. Between each addition of chicken stock, the rice was constantly stirred, allowing the rice to soak up the stock and release its starches, creating a thick, creamy texture. This process takes about 20 minutes, and it's important that the risotto be carefully watched to avoid sticking or burning.

Once the rice became soft, the risotto was ready to be flavored. I added the sausage and the vegetables to the risotto, as well as two tablespoons of butter and a good handful of shaved parmesan. Dinner was served!

Buon Appetito!