Lonely Sausage Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 ½ litres of chicken stock - 1 tsp stock powder per cup of water if using powdered stock
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 good meaty sausage, cooked and chopped (use more if you have them)
• 2-3 rashers of bacon, chopped
• 1 ½ cups broccoli cut into florets
• 1½ cups of Arborio (risotto) rice
• ½ cup grated cheese

Method

Place the stock in a saucepan and when heated, turn the heat to low so it stays hot.

In a medium saucepan heat the oil, add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook gently until soft. 

Add the Arborio rice, stirring frequently till coated in the pan oils and the pan stops sizzling.

Add 1/4 of the stock a ladle at a time stirring well after each addition, cooking gently and allowing the stock to be fully absorbed before each addition.

When quarter of the stock has been added toss in the broccoli and the sausage chopped into little pieces.

Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice has swelled and thickened and the risotto is a creamy texture.

Stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately. 

Tips

You can add other bits and bobs to this recipe - swap the brocolli for beans or peas, add some parmesan cheese if you have it or a handful of herbs and obviously more sausage will simply make it nicer, but if you are stretched one will suffice. Use the best sausages you can afford. Pre cooked barbecue type sausages will not have the flavour of a good "made from meat" sausage.