Tomato and Sausage Risotto

Don't ask me why I chose to make risotto on a night when I didn't get home until after 6:30 from step class. Poor Chuck had to wait until after 8:00 to eat but THIS risotto is worth it! The recipe calls for the juices from the diced tomatoes instead of the traditional chicken broth, and the spicy sausage and spinach add a nice depth of flavor.

Truthfully, this particular risotto doesn't take as long as others I have made. If you have everything prepped and ready to go, this can be made in less than an hour. I used Asiago cheese instead of Parmesan because I had some in the fridge. Also, instead of using 3/4 pound of sausage, I used 1/2 pound plus some extra prosciutto I had leftover from the Ricotta, Fig, and Prosciutto Bruschetta. If you do this, just crisp it up a little bit in a saute pan:

Tomato and Sausage Risotto

from Everyday Food

Makes 4 servings

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 bunch flat-leaf spinach, (10 to 14 ounces), washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 7 Cups) (or 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
2 tablespoons butter

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and just tender, about 25 minutes total (you may not have to use all the liquid).

Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter; season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools), and sprinkle with additional Parmesan, if desired.