Hoppin John Risotto with Collard Pesto
Instructions:
, for serving.
- Bring the stock just to a simmer in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
- Cook the sausage in a large skillet or wide saucepan over medium heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes, breaking it up with the side of a spoon. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. (If you happen to have particularly lean sausage, add olive oil to make up the difference.)
- Heat the fat over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion, bell pepper, and celery and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain in the fat. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly, until the outside of each grain is shiny and translucent with a tiny white dot in the center, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until it evaporates.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook, stirring slowly and steadily, until the rice absorbs the liquid. Continue adding stock 1⁄2 cup at a time, stirring all the while and letting the rice nearly absorb the stock before adding more. When done, the rice should be tender, yet a little firm in the center of each grain (like pasta al dente). The rice should be suspended in thick, creamy sauce. You might not need all of the stock. The entire process should take about 25 minutes.
- Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the peas, sausage, butter, parsley, and cheese. Check the seasoning, but the sausage probably contains all the salt and pepper the risotto needs. Serve at once, topped with a sprinkling of cheese and a spoonful of Collard Pesto
.