Stovetop Fennel and Sausage Risotto

Stovetop Fennel And Sausage Risotto

Ingredients:

6 cups low sodium chicken or beef broth

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/4 cup thinly sliced fennel bulb

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casing removed, sausage crumbled

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups Aborio or Carnaroli rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

Boiling water as needed

3/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese

Aged Balsamic vinegar for garnish.

Directions:

Pour broth into a pan and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and place a lid to keep it warm.

To a large saucepan or straight sided skillet, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter.  When the butter melts and the foaming subsides, add fennel cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and about 6 to 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a mixing bowl using a slotted spoon or spider.  Set aside.

Return the saucepan to medium heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and sausage.  Cook until sausage is no longer pink breaking into small pieces, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently.  Transfer to bowl with fennel with a spider or slotted spoon.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and return saucepan to medium heat.  Add shallots and rice  and cook stirring constantly until rice is evenly coated with oil and shallots are soft, 3 to 4 minutes.  Add wine and cook until pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes.  Add more wine and cook until pan is almost dry about 3 more minutes.

TIP:  To determine when liquid should be added, using a spoon, drag it in the center of the cooking rice.  If the space allows the bottom of the pan to show, more liquid is needed.  If the space shows liquid, continue to cook the risotto until more liquid is absorbed.

Using a ladle, add about 1 cup of hot broth and return hot broth to the rice, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Add additional broth 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly and  adding more broth only after the previous addition has been absorbed.  The risotto is done after about twenty minutes, when it is creamy and the and the rice grains are plump and tender.

Remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, fennel, sausage, and Romano cheese.  Adjust consistency with a little broth or water.

To serve, ladle risotto into 4 warmed shallow bowls.  Top each with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.