Risotto with Mushrooms and fresh Sausages-Salsiccia

Make an Italian sausage and fresh mushrooms the star of your dish by preparing this earthy, tasty and yummy risotto to start your Christmas lunch with a bang!

RECIPE:

Risotto

SERVINGS: 4	Preparation time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min

INGREDIENTS:

400 g (2 cups – 14 oz) riso Arborio, (like Vialone, or Carnaroli type)
200 – 300 g (10 oz) Chanterelle mushrooms or any other kind
3 middle size fresh pork Italian sausages
6-7 tbsp EVO oil
100 ml (0.4 cups) white wine
100 ml (0.4 cups) red wine
1 garlic clove, peeled
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to taste
hot water, or broth
25-30 g (2 tbsp) butter
some thyme leaves

METHOD

Heat the broth, or water, and keep it simmering.
STEP 1: prepare the mushrooms. Dry – cleaning the mushrooms: gently remove the soil above and below the chapel using a small knife, a brush, or some kitchen paper. Once cleaned, cut only the larger ones into two pieces on the long side. The small ones don’t need to be chopped.
Place a pan on a medium heat, pour 3-4 tbsp of oil in. Add 1 garlic clove. Let sauté for 1 minute. Then remove the garlic and add the mushrooms. Cook at medium heat until the mushrooms start to release their water. Add the salt and turn to low heat. Stir with a wooden spatula and cover the pan with a lid. Let cook for around 10-15 min. During cooking, check the mushrooms and add a little water if they are too dry. Stir regularly. The mushrooms will be ready when the liquid has almost dried and they are soft enough, without having lost their consistency. Add some thyme leaves, stir gently and turn off the heat. Keep aside.
STEP 2: prepare the salsiccia. In the meantime remove the gut from the sausages and crumble them. Put a pan on medium heat, then add the crumbled sausages. Let sauté for a few minutes. Pour in the red wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately, let cook until it has evaporated. During cooking, with a wooden spoon, mix to prevent the meat from burning and sticking to the pan. Let sauté at medium heat until all the meat is browned. If the sausages are tasteless add salt and pepper.
STEP 3: Prepare Risotto. In a large pan like a wok, pour 2-3 tablespoons of EVO oil, and let it heat up. Then add the rice. Let it toast over medium-high heat for a few minutes – until becomes transulucent. Stir now and then so that the rice doesn’t stick on the pan. Pour in the white wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately, so keep stirring until it has evaporated, leaving the rice with a lovely perfume. When evaporated completely turn the heat down and add a ladleful of broth. The rice shouldn’t cook too quickly, otherwise the outside of each grain will be stodgy and the inside hard and nutty.
Gently bring to the boil. Keep stirring. Let it simmer until almost all the broth has been absorbed. Then add the rest of the broth, one ladle at a time, until the risotto is cooked.
You might not need all the broth. Be careful not to overcook the rice. It should hold its shape but be soft and creamy. Taste and add salt if needed.
After 12/14 mins taste the rice; depending on the quality of the rice it can take longer or less to cook. You should be able to catch the moment when the rice is almost done to avoid putting too much water. Ensure that it is neither too dry or too watery. If the last is the case you might rise the temperature to let the water evaporate while still stirring.
STEP 4 Add in the cooked mushrooms and the salsiccia, gently mix until well incorporated.
Turn off the heat, stir in the butter, the Parmigiano Reggiano (3-4 tbsp) and mix well. Add salt if needed. Put a lid on the wok and let the risotto rest for a minute. Serve with extra Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper, to taste.