Another yummy recipe...

Well, I took a small hiatus from cooking, but I'm baaaaaack! Sunday night Chad and I celebrated our Xmas together (since he goes home to NY for the holiday.) I thought it would be nice if I threw something together instead of going out to eat. Here's what I came up with. Pretty yummy...and not too bad for my first attempt at risotto!!!! Enjoy!





Drunken Risotto with Sausage and Spinach
Courtesy of Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. EVOO
• 3/4 lb. bulk Italian sweet or hot sausage
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• 1/3 lb. spinach leaves, stemmed & chopped
• 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
• Salt & pepper
  

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, combine the wine & chicken stock. Keep warm over a low flame.
• In a large, heavy pot, heat the EVOO over medium-high head. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling the meat, until browned (about 2 min.)
• Add the onion & garlic. Cook until softened (about 2 min.) Stir in the rice and season with salt & pepper.
• Add the warm wine-stock mixture a couple of ladlefuls at a time...stirring vigorously after each addition and letting the liquid evaporate before adding more...cooking the risotto for 18 min.
• In the last 5 min of cooking, stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, to wilt. Stir in the nutmeg.
• In the last minute of cooking, stir in the butter and then the cheese.