tomato and sausage risotto

Wow! That's all I can say about tonights simple one pot dinner. So easy, yet so delicious. I can't figure out why I waited so long to make this! Don't ask me why I decided to make risotto after working 8 to 5:30 on a busy Monday either, but it's only 8 pm and we've already finished eating and cleaning up.  Now we're relaxing with plenty of time to watch television and polish off our bottle of Gurwurtztraminer-Reisling from one of my favorite wineries to visit, Reif Estate. Sometimes I even impress myself! (a big p.s.! Conan returns to TV tonight after a long awaited hiatus!!)

When we ran to the supermarket this past weekend I put this recipe at the top of my shopping list and made sure to grab the ingredients I would need to make it even though I wasn't really feeling it at the time. They say it's never good to go grocery shopping when you're starving, but I think the latter also applies, and you shouldn't go grocery shopping when you're stuffed full of Mexican food at 9:30 pm either.

In an effort to make this dish slightly more healthy, I chose to use hot poultry sausage versus pork. I also threw in some garlic and basil since I had plenty on hand. Cooking the risotto with the diced tomatoes in juice versus some sort of stock gave a slightly sweet flavor and aroma that was balanced out  perfectly by the spicy sausage and creamy parmesan cheese. The spinach, garlic, and basil rounded out the dish and gave a nice depth of flavor. As an added bonus, this entire dish took under an hour to prepare since the risotto only took about 25 to 30 minutes to become tender and absorb all of the liquid, which is fast in my book for risotto.
Will I be making this again? One thousand times yes!! It will most definately now be included as part of our regular dinner rotation.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto
Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food November 2006, also seen on Smitten Kitchen.

Serves 4 (or 2 plus 1 Dan).

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, in juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed- poultry or pork
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 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)
• 1/4 cup chopped basil, plus more for serving (optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional)
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice) and 3 cups water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is opaque and onion has softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed, about 1 minute.
4. 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).
5. 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.