Shelly's Recipe

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Category: Rice/Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sweet sausage, casings removed, crumbled into 1/2 inch pieces
8 oz portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped out, caps diced
10 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, diced
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups Madeira (divided, 1/2 cup and 1 cup)
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup butter
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice (about 13 oz)
1/2 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (for topping)

Heat olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add all mushrooms, thyme, and oregano and saute until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the Madeira; boil until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Set aside. Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and cover to keep hot.

Melt butter in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice; stir 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup Madeira; simmer until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock; simmer until almost absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes.

Continue to cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding more stock by cupfuls, stirring often and allowing most stock to be absorbed before adding more, about 25-30 minutes.

If the rice is still a little hard at the end of 30 minutes, add a little water and let it cook a little longer. Stir in sausage mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Sprinkle with cheese.