Risotto

My kitchen hasn't been used for much of anything lately, other than refrigerating the orange juice and creamer and offering a space in which to heat up takeout. For a self-described cook, this seems oddly lacking in, well, honest-to-God cooking. There isn't much of an excuse, but I did start a new job at the beginning of the year. Anyway, tonight I got out a knife, the cutting board, the dutch oven, a wooden spoon, and a few odds and ends of ingredients. The result:

Risotto
adapted from Recipes for Dairy-Free Living, by Denise Jardine
about 4 large servings

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 to 1 cup white wine (the lesser amount if the wine is sweet, a full cup if it's dry, or no wine at all if you happen to be a teetotaler)
6 1/4 to 6 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (whatever you need to total 7 1/4 cups liquid)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups (about 1/2 pound) pre-cooked sausage (I had veggie sausage.)
6 ounces fresh baby spinach

Heat stock in large saucepan until hot but not boiling.

While stock is heating, saute onion and garlic in large skillet or dutch oven (non-stick is great if you have it) over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes, or until onion softens. Add rice to onion and toss to thoroughly coat it with oil. Stir in the wine a 1/2 cup at a time until it is absorbed. Add the stock to the rice, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly after each addition until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, until a creamy sauce has developed and all the remaining stock has been used. This should take 20 to 25 minutes.

Stir in the salt, pepper, sausage and spinach and continue stirring until the spinach is wilted. Taste to correct seasoning. Serve immediately with the rest of the wine.

Enjoy!