Risotto al Barolo con Salsiccia (Barolo Risotto with Sausage)

• 1.2 liters Chicken stock
• 400 g Italian pork sausage
• 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium Shallot
• 60 g Unsalted butter
• 320 g Arborio rice
• 350 ml Dry Red Wine
• 80 g Parmesan
• ½ tsp Black pepper

1. Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer, then keep it hot over a low heat. You want it steaming but not boiling hard.
2. Remove the sausage meat from its skins and break it into small pieces. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the sausage and cook for 6 to 8 minutes until well browned. Transfer to a bowl, leaving any fat in the pan.
3. Finely chop the shallots. Reduce the heat to medium, add 20 g of the butter to the pan, then cook the shallots for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and sweet. Stir often so they do not colour too much.
4. Add the arborio rice and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until the grains look glossy and lightly toasted at the edges. Pour in the red wine and simmer, stirring, until it is almost fully absorbed.
5. Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir until it is absorbed, then continue adding stock a ladle at a time, stirring regularly. Keep the risotto at a steady simmer and cook for 18 to 22 minutes, until the rice is tender with a slight bite and the texture is loose and creamy.
6. Stir the browned sausage back into the risotto and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Take the pan off the heat, finely grate in the parmesan, then add the remaining butter and stir vigorously until glossy and silky. Season with black pepper, cover for 2 minutes, then serve straight away.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.