Gutsy Cooks: Dirty Risotto

The Gutsy Cooks are making Mushroom risotto only I altered the recipe and made Dirty Risotto. I hope the group will forgive me for playing this much with the recipe.



I love risotto but rarely make it so every time I do, it feels like the very first time. I made a Cajun meatloaf and a vegetable saute to go with this dish, making a filling and packed full of flavor dinner. We loved every bite. I posted how I made the risotto recipe below. Thank you

Cynthia and Sam for the great choice. I am dying to make the raspberry souffles and will shortly.

Dirty Risotto:

5-6 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp butter
6 oz. mild or sweet Italian sausage, removed from casing (about 3 small links)
4 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, de-seeded, minced
6 oz. mushrooms, roughly chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups rice, Arborio or Long-grain
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Directions:
In a small pot, heat chicken stock to a simmer and turn down to keep warm.
Melt butter in a large, deep skillet or stock pot.
Brown sausage and bacon in butter over medium-high heat, breaking sausage up into chunks.
Add vegetables, onion through mushrooms, to browned meat and cook until softened.
Taste vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in rice and allow to brown lightly.

Pour in wine and stir until almost absorbed. Turn heat down to medium.
Using a measuring cup add hot chicken stock to rice mixture a little at a time, stirring, until almost absorbed.

Once rice is tender, turn off heat and stir in cheese and parsley.
Taste again and season with salt as needed.

I also baked a Hot Buttered Rum Cheesecake with a hot buttered rum sauce. I'll post the recipe shortly. Delicious!