Ramp and Sausage Risotto

A couple weeks ago I found wild ramps at Central Market.  If you watch some of the cooking shows like Top Chef you've heard chefs praise these tasty little oniony garlicky lovelies.  It was only the second time I'd even seen them, and I'd never tasted them before.  Through the magic of the iPhone Epicurious app, I found this recipe while I was still in the store, and purchased the ramps and other ingredients.  This was my first taste of wild ramps, totally yummy, and my first time to make risotto, also totally yummy!


Ramp and Sausage Risotto


Bon Appétit
April 2009

by The Bon Appétit Test Kitchen

Yield:  Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/2 pound hot Italian sausages, casings removed
12 ramps, trimmed; bulbs and slender stems sliced, green tops thinly sliced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry vermouth
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for passing

Preparation:

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage. Cook until no longer pink, breaking up with spoon, about 5 minutes. Add sliced ramp bulbs and stems. Saute´ until almost tender, about 2 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add vermouth. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 3 cups chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, simmering until almost absorbed before next addition and stirring often. Continue cooking until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, adding more broth if dry and stirring often, about 18 minutes. Mix in green tops and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Season risotto to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional grated cheese separately.


Kearby's Notes:  I added the chicken broth more slowly than the recipe instructs and took longer simmering it into the rice.  I used store-bought low-sodium chicken broth, but would definitely use homemade chicken broth if I had it.  Risotto necessarily takes a long time to prepare, all of it hands-on, but it's really easy, just slowly adding broth and stirring frequently.  Next time I make risotto I want to try a meatless recipe so the delicate, creamy flavor of the rice can shine through more.