Pork Sausage & Tomato Risotto with Lemony Zucchini Ribbons

Step 1

Remove sausage from casing; discardcasing. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in alarge pan over medium-high heat. Addsausage and cook, breaking up meatinto pieces, until browned and cookedthrough, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat.Using a slotted spoon, transfer sausageto a paper-towel-lined plate, keeping asmuch oil in pan as possible.

Step 2

While sausage cooks, wash anddry all produce. Halve onion; peel andthinly slice one half (save remaininghalf for another use; for 4 servings, slicewhole onion). Dice tomato.

Step 3

Heat pan used for sausage overmedium heat. Add 1 TBSP butter, slicedonion, ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4 servings),and a big pinch of salt and pepper.Cook, stirring, until onion is softened,5-7 minutes. Add rice and Tuscan HeatSpice. Cook, stirring, until grains aretranslucent, 1-2 minutes. Stir in tomatoand ½ cup water, scraping up anybrowned bits from bottom of pan.

Step 4

Meanwhile, measure 4 cups hotwater (7 cups for 4 servings). Addstock concentrate and ½ cup hotwater to pan with rice mixture. Bringto a simmer and cook, stirring, untilliquid has mostly absorbed. Repeatwith remaining water—adding ½ cupat a time and stirring until liquid hasmostly absorbed—until rice is al denteand mixture is creamy, 25-30 minutes.TIP: You might not use all of the water.

Step 5

While risotto cooks, trim ends fromzucchini. Using a peeler, shave zucchinilengthwise into ribbons, rotating asyou go, until you get to the seedy core;discard core. Zest and quarter lemon.Add a big squeeze of lemon juice to amedium bowl. Toss in zucchini ribbons,a drizzle of olive oil, and lemon zest totaste. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 6

Once risotto is done, stir in sausage,Parmesan, and 2 TBSP butter (3 TBSPfor 4 servings). Season with salt (weused ½ tsp kosher salt; 1 tsp for andpepper. Divide risotto between bowlsor plates. Top with zucchini ribbons orserve on the side, along with remaininglemon wedges.