John's Red Wine Risotto with Sausage and Rabe
This red wine risotto with rabe is rich and romantic! John makes it for Rachael on Valentine's Day and calls it a "date on a plate"!
Ingredients
- 3-4 cups chicken stock
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- 3/4 pound spicy Italian sausage, removed from casing
- 1 bunch broccoli rabe, trimmed and roughly chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated, divided
- A few grates fresh nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese
Preparation
Place a medium pot over medium heat with the chicken stock. Bring up to a simmer and reserve warm.
Place a medium pot of water over high heat to boil.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the sausage to the pan and brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, 6-8 minutes.
When the sausage is almost ready, drop the broccoli rabe into the boiling water and cook until tender, about 1 minute. Scoop the broccoli rabe out of the water with a spider or slotted spoon and add it to the pan with the sausage. Add half of the garlic, nutmeg, salt and pepper and cook for about 1 minute. Reserve warm until the risotto is ready.
While the sausage is browning, place a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the onion and remaining garlic to the pan and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add the rice to the pan and cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until most of it has evaporated. Add a ladle of the reserved warm stock to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until it has absorbed. Continue adding stock, one ladleful at a time, while stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and creamy, about 18 minutes. Stir in the butter, grated cheese and season with salt and pepper.
To serve, spoon a bed of risotto into the bottom of a shallow bowl and top with a scoop of the sausage and broccoli rabe.
