- Risotto with sausage and Cranberry beans
To make risotto, you absolutely must use a specific type of rice called arborio rice (Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are also used, some say superior, but are more difficult to find). These types of rice release starch when stirred in a liquid; it is this process which makes risotto, otherwise you just have a starchy mess of mush. These types of rice are identified by their fat round grains and pearly appearance. They can be used to make other sorts of rice dishes, such as pilaf, but other types of rice cannot be used for risotto. Arborio is no longer that much of a specialty product; it can be found in most large, well- stocked grocery stores in the Italian section. Or sometimes, misguidedly, in the Asian section.
2- or 3-to-
1 ratio of water to stock , so it stretches. My general guideline is to plan on
1/4 cup dry rice per person, and about 4 cups of stock to
1 cup of riceOf course, this isn't exact and will vary depending on your elevation and the phases of the moon, but it's a good place to start. I usually just use
4 cups of stock and then dilute with water or wine (or sometimes beer , if that's all I have) if I feel I'm going to run out.
Well, we have rice and stock covered, now we just need our setup: place the stock in a saucepan on your rear burner, bring to a simmer, and leave it there with a 6-8 ounce ladle in, and place a large, wide saute pan (must be really large, plan that your rice will at least quadruple in size) or Dutch oven on the burner in front. Get out your favorite wooden spoon and flex your stirring arm.
The nice thing about using sausage is it's so full of flavor you can leave out the usual onion /garlic/shallot/ celery nonsense if you're tired and don't feel like chopping. Furthermore, sausage goes from the freezer to the pan without suffering too much. Okay, let's go!
Risotto with sausage and Cranberry beans - serves 4
2 links italian sausage , or 1 pound bulk (or hot, or a combination - definitely with some fennel ), casings removed
2 cups cooked cranberry beans or one can white beans , drained
1 cup arborio rice
4-5 cups beef , chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsp butter
3/4 cup freshly, finely grated parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish
1 package (an ounce) flat-leaf parsley , chopped finely
1/2 tbsp lemon juice , or juice from
1/2 lemon
salt and black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste, optional
Good balsamic vinegar , optional
