LEEK RISOTTO with RED KALE & BEEF SAUSAGE

This recipe was inspired from a Gourmet Traveller magazine page that I’d filed away years ago. I like the idea of making the base recipe risotto and adding the kale and beef sausage crumb topping to serve with it.

serves 4

3 Torello Farm parsely & black pepper beef sausages

1 bunch red kale

30g unsalted butter

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 leek, white part only, finely chopped

3 garic cloves, finely chopped

300g (1½ cups) aborio rice

250ml (1 cup) white wine

750ml (3 cups) chicken stock

6 thin slices of mild-hot salami, cut into quarters

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)

Remove the skin casing from the sausage by squeezing the meat out one end and breaking meat into small pieces. Set aside on a plate. Discard skin. Run a sharp knife along either side of kale stems, discard stems and tear leaves into bite size pieces. Set aside.

Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leek and cook for 10 minutes until softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic. Add the rice and stir to coat and cook for a minute. Pour in the wine and cook for about 3 minutes until almost evapourated. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, making sure the stock is absorbed before adding more while stirring occasionally. Continue until all the stock is used and the rice is al dente, this takes about 25 minutes. Stir in the parmesan.

Meanwhile, while risotto is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the salami, if using, and saute until the salami colours, then remove and transfer to a plate. Increase the heat to high. Add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, if using, and the sausage meat, cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until meat is golden brown and just cooked. Transfer the sausage and herbs with a slotted spoon onto the plate with salami. Add the kale leaves and 2 tablespoons of water to frying pan, cook for about 2-3 minutes, tossing until tender.

Divide the risotto between four bowls, top with the kale and scatter over the sausage. Grate over extra parmesan. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Fiona Hammond, June 2021