Tomato and Sausage Risotto

-LW

From Smitten Kitchen, who got it from Martha:

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2006/11/alexs-restaurant/

This risotto is a great hearty spin on the more classic version made with chicken broth. The spicy sausage and tomato combo remind me a lot of jambalaya, only with a much more creamy texture. Unlike most risotto recipes, you don't have to stir this one constantly.

Stephen and I made this dish to go with some red wine we bought to go with our new decanter/aerator. (So basically, we made this for dinner because we wanted to play with our newest toy.) We drank a Sangiovese with the the risotto. The acidic nature of this red makes it a good match with tomatoes. (Thanks, Morgan & York guy!)

Ingredients
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 3/4 pound hot Italian or other spicy sausage, casings removed (we used Lousiana spicy sausage) 1 small onion, finely 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); reserve a few leaves and slice into ribbons for garnish [If you want to speed up the process, you could just buy pre-washed baby spinach and dump it in without chopping.] 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving (optional) 2 tablespoons butter

Directions
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; 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), garnish with spinach ribbons and sprinkle with additional parmesan, if desired.