Risotto is one of those comfort dishes that is delicious at any time of year.

Using a quality risotto rice will make your risotto creamy while maintaining the integrity of the individual grains of rice, keeping them pleasingly al dente. Also, a homemade chicken or vegetable stock will give your risotto a lift too, as will the addition of a good dry white wine and quality Italian pork sausages.

I love mushroom risotto made with raw or cooked mushrooms but today this risotto incorporates the flavour of good Italian pork sausages and the fresh tomato flavour of homemade tomato sauce that I always have on hand in the fridge. If you don’t have any, I have included the recipe to a quick tomato sauce that you can use for this dish. See recipe below. Freeze the sauce in 1/2 cup portions in freezer safe contianers then when frozen, remove portions to freezer bags for easy storage and for use on pasta, pizza or as here in risotto recipes.

A particularly effective way of stirring the risotto is using the wooden spoon in a ‘turning-over the rice’ action. Flipping the rice up and over brings the rice below to the surface and moves surface rice down below to cook. Use this action all around the pot. The end effect of this is to release the starches well and to make the risotto creamy, all the while cooking the grains to an al dente texture. Your efforts will be rewarded with an outstanding risotto.

Risotto with Sausage and Tomato

Ingredients:

• 200g  Risotto Rice, I have used Italian Scotti-Valone Nano type (use 100g rice per person)
• 50g Butter
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1 Italian pork sausage, casing removed chopped into small pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 1.2L Chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup homemade tomato sauce (see below)
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Method:

• Season and set the stock in a pot on an adjacent burner on a low simmer
• In another heavy based pan over a medium heat place olive oil and the knob of butter
• When the buttor stops foaming, add the sausage pieces and brown them well. Then remove them to a plate with a slotted spoon
• Put the oil used browning the sausages, adding a little more olive oil, into a heavy based pan. Heat oil on medium low then add the finely chopped onion and cook until it is translucent, for about 8 minutes
• Then add the wine and allow to cook for 5 minutes or until the wine has fully evaporated
• When evaporated, stir in the risotto rice and stir for a few minutes until all the grains are well coated and mixed with the onion
• Stir through the tomato sauce and return the sausage pieces to the mixture, combining well
• Add two ladlefuls of the simmering stock and set timer for 20 minutes
• With a wooden spoon use a flipping action to bring rice grains from the bottom of the pot to the top,  all around the pot. This keeps all the grains moving and prevents the risotto sticking
• As the liquid is absorbed add more ladlefuls at a time and continue moving the rice throughout the cooking time
• Keep adding stock to be absorbed  until there are 5 minutes to go, then add no more liquid and keep the risotto moving to allow it to become thickened and creamy
• When cooking time is completed, stir through 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• The risotto should be thick and creamy with all the liquid absorbed
• Serve in bowls with a little extra parmesan cheese on top

Quick Homemade Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 cans Mutti or other chopped tomatoes
• 1 Tblsp tomato paste
• 2 Tblsp Olive oil
• 1small knob of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 stems of parsley, leaves finely chopped and stems used whole
• 2 leaves of basil, torn into pieces
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 small  brown onion, finely chopped

Method:

• Using a heavy based saucepan, add olive oil and knob of butter over a medium heat until butter foams
• When the foaming subsides add the finely chopped onion and cook till transparent, about 4-5 minutes
• Then add the chopped garlic and cook for a minute
• Stir through the Tomato paste and cook for a minute
• Then add the chopped tomatoes
• Stir through the chopped parley, rosemary and season with salt and freshly ground pepper
• Continue cooking over medium heat without covering till mixture thickens, about 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a little hot water if the mixture catches
• When cooled remove the parsley stems
• Store the sauce in a sterilised jar in the fridge or frozen in suitable portions in the freezer using containers then transfer to freezer bags when frozen