This was another classic case of getting inspired by what I saw at my beloved farmer’s market. Last time I was there, the andouille sausage at the butcher’s counter just looked too good to pass up. The question was what to do with it? Andouille always pairs so well with rice, so that was the direction I went in immediately. The Italian in me gravitated automatically toward making a creamy risotto with serious flavor. Risotto always seemed intimidating to me when I would watch my Nana make it growing up. I learned though that it’s really just a game of patience and so worth the time!
Oh my goodness, this dish was heaven in a bowl. The andouille was so savory and spicy against the creaminess of the rice and cheese. It all worked together in perfect harmony. I loved putting an Italian spin on the more traditional andouille with rice. My Nana would have been proud. Enjoy, friends! xo
- 1 dash olive oil
- 4 links andouille sausage diced into bite sized chunks
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 3/4 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small shallot peeled and minced
- 1 clove garlic peeled and minced
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha
- 1 1/4 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup freshly grated manchego cheese
- fresh cilantro finely chopped as needed for garnish
- Get a large, deep pan on the stove and heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the andouille sausage until cooked through and golden for about 4-5 minutes. While it is cooking give it the pinch of salt to season it. While the sausage is cooking, pour the chicken stock into a small pot right next to the pan. Gently warm it over low heat to get it ready. When the sausage is done, remove it from the pan and set it aside. Add the butter to the same pan and let it start to melt. Add the shallot, garlic, saffron, smoked paprika and Sriracha. Let them get fragrant for 30 seconds.
- Add the rice into the pan and let it just get toasted for a minute. Then pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up the brown bits in the pan. Let the wine absorb into the rice for a minute. Then ladle in about 1/4 of the warm stock and stir it into the rice completely. When it is absorbed, ladle the next 1/4 of it and stir it in completely. Repeat until the stock is all absorbed and the rice is tender. The whole process will take about 15-20 minutes
- Stir the andouille and the manchego cheese into the risotto, then take the pan off of the heat. Scoop it into pretty bowls and top it with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!