Dirty Risotto

This is another Giada inspired dish. I have made it a couple of times and changed it slightly from her recipe. This is her Italian take on dirty rice. I love this recipe, risotto is my all time favorite food and the addition of Italian sausage just makes it all that better. Topping the risotto with Italian flat leaf parsley really brightens the dish.

Dirty Risotto

1 (32 oz) box of reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. butter
3 oz. pancetta, chopped
2 links (about 8 oz) Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. Italian Parsley, chopped

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a simmer. Cover and keep warm over low heat.
In a large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sausage and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding 1/2 cup a broth at a time, stirring and allowing each addition to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 of the Parmesan. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining cheese and parsley.