Sausage, fennel and red wine risotto

This was certainly an unusual combination for a risotto. I've never made risotto with red wine before, but this was really delicious. Rich and creamy, as good risotto should be, but with a punch from the sausage meat and fennel. Yum!

Sausage, fennel and red wine risotto
Delicious magazine - May 2007
Serves 4

1L (4 cups) vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbs olive oil
50g unsalted butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
4 skinned pork sausages
2 tbsp tomato paste
small bunch of thyme, leaves picked
1 1/2 cups (330g) arborio or carnaroli rice
150ml red wine
75g parmesan, grated
baby rocket leaves and extra parmesan, shaved, to serve

Place the vegetable or chicken stock in a small saucepan and keep at a low simmer.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and half the butter in a large, wide, non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the fennel seeds and stir until fragrant. Add the chopped sausage meat, tomato paste and thyme leaves and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until meat is browned. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute to coat the grains in the butter. Pour in the wine and cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.

Add a ladleful of stock to the rice and stir continuously until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and making sure the stock is absorbed before adding the next ladleful, until the rice is al dente. This will take about 20 minutes (you may not need all the stock). Sir in the remaining butter, cover and set aside for 2 minutes.

To serve, stir in the grated parmesan and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. Divide risotto among plates and top with rocket leaves and shaved parmesan.