Risotto With Sausage And Cranberry Beans Recipe

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Risotto With Sausage And Cranberry Beans
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Ingredients:

  • to make risotto , you absolutely must use a specific type of rice called arborio rice ( carnaroli and vialone nano are also used, some say superior, but are more difficult to find). these types of rice release starch when stirred in a liquid; it is this process which makes risotto, otherwise you just have a starchy mess of mush. these types of rice are identified by their fat round grains and pearly appearance. they can be used to make other sorts of rice dishes, such as pilaf
  • okay, so now we have the rice. you will also need some good, low-salt stock or broth - it should be low-salt not for health reasons, but because a good deal of it will evaporate, leaving its salt behind, and i like to have more control over the salt in a dish. it can be homemade, but i'm not going to be a snob about it because, in truth, we go through gallons of store-bought stock in this household and i don'tsp see that changing anytime soon. furthermore, risotto is actually a dish which can be whipped up out of thin air when it seems as though you have nothing to eat, as long as you have butter, rice, stock, maybe a few herbs, and some leftover parmesan. i like the kind of stock purchased in tetrapak cartons, because they are resealable and can be put in the fridge and used as needed. if you really want to use homemade but you don'tsp have time to make stock or don'tsp like the aroma of roasting bones in your house (i don'tsp blame you), you can buy really great stock at north market poultry and game - it is expensive, but can be diluted with a 2- or 3-to-1 ratio of water to stock, so it stretches. my general guideline is to plan on 1/4 cup dry rice per person, and about 4 cups of stock to 1 cup of rice. of course, this isn'tsp exact and will vary depending on your elevation and the phases of the moon, but it's a good place to start. i usually just use 4 cups of stock and then dilute with water or wine (or sometimes beer, if that's all i have) if i feel i'm going to run out.
  • well, we have rice and stock covered, now we just need our setup: place the stock in a saucepan on your rear burner, bring to a simmer, and leave it there with a 6-8 oz ladle in, and place a large, wide saute pan (must be really large, plan that your rice will at least quadruple in size) or dutch oven on the burner in front. get out your favorite wooden spoon and flex your stirring arm.
  • the nice thing about using sausage is it's so full of flavor you can leave out the usual onion/garlic/shallot/celery nonsense if you're tired and don'tsp feel like chopping. furthermore, sausage goes from the freezer to the pan without suffering too much. okay, let's go
  • 2 links italian sausage , or 1 lb bulk (or hot , or a combination - definitely with some fennel), casings removed
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3/4 cup freshly, finely grated parmesan cheese , plus more for garnish
  • 1 package ( an oz) flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
  • 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • red pepper flakes to taste, optional

Directions:

  1. Your stock is simmering, right? Heat your large saute pan over medium-medium high heat and crumble in your sausage. Brown the sausage thoroughly, breaking it into very small bits, then add the beans - if there is a lot of fat (more than a tablespoon) in the pan, carefully drain it off first. Add the rice to the pan and stir it all around for a minute or two; the rice should begin to transluce, looking very pearly with a white center. Add a ladleful of stock and stir until the stock is absorbed. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Continue to repeat for about 20 minutes, adding a pinch of salt after 10, and then begin to taste the rice; it should be soft with a slightly chewy center, without being powdery or hard. The entire mixture should be soft and creamy above all, with no broth sitting in pools. Turn the heat off and add the butter, parsley, Parmesan and lemon juice, stirring vigorously to incorporate and melt everything. Taste for salt and add a few good grinds of black pepper and a few pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired. Place in bowls and top with a few shreds of Parmesan and a tiny drizzle of balsamic vinegar, if desired. Preferably eaten while in pajamas in front of fireplace with loved on, or other cozy location.
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Nutrition Facts

Per ServingPer 100 g
Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories 1217.05 Kcal (5096 kJ)
Calories from fat 566.07 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 62.9g 97%
Cholesterol 301.59mg 101%
Sodium 1362.91mg 57%
Potassium 1606.68mg 34%
Total Carbs 64.07g 21%
Sugars 0.24g 1%
Dietary Fiber 9.44g 38%
Protein 91.07g 182%
Vitamin C 3mg 5%
Vitamin A 0.1mg 2%
Iron 8.4mg 47%
Calcium 322.3mg 32%
Amount Per 100 g
Calories 219.31 Kcal (918 kJ)
Calories from fat 102 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11.33g 97%
Cholesterol 54.34mg 101%
Sodium 245.59mg 57%
Potassium 289.52mg 34%
Total Carbs 11.55g 21%
Sugars 0.04g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1.7g 38%
Protein 16.41g 182%
Vitamin C 0.5mg 5%
Iron 1.5mg 47%
Calcium 58.1mg 32%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

  • salty
  • savory
  • bitter
  • sweet
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Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

  • 28.8
    Points
  • 31
    PointsPlus

Good Points

  • saturated fat free,
  • sugar free

Bad Points

  • High in Sodium

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