Another older recipe...

Dirty Risotto

From Giada’s Family Dinners

4 to 6 servings

5 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces pancetta, chopped (I don’t like pancetta, so I skip this ingredient)
6 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
¾ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I use half that. It’s a matter of taste.)
4 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 ½ cups arborio rice (no substitutions!)
¾ cups dry white wine
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsely

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the meats and sauté until golden brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms, and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cheese, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve immediately.

This is not a quick recipe. But it is a very satisfying side dish. Enjoy!



I really enjoy watching Giada's progam on The Food Network. Her books are terrific, too. This book is one of my favorites.