Sweet Potato Risotto & Sausage with Apples and Onions

Sweet Potato Risotto & Sausage w/ Apples and Onions  

This sweet potato risotto with crispy sage leaves could easily serve as a light meal in and of itself.  But it was dinnertime at my house and my daughter didn't share that feeling so tonight I used the risotto as a side dish to sausage sautéed with apples and onions.  The bottom line for me lately is just keeping everyone happy.  In the end, after juggling what I would consider as two separate meals, I was happy too.  They were both fantastic.  And the crispy sage leaves were just icing on the cake.     

Ingredients for the Risotto:

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced

½ of a large onion, diced

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup Arborio rice

4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock

6 sage leaves, sliced into ribbons

1/8 cup heavy cream

Ingredients for the Sausage:

1 lb of Italian sausage, hot or sweet

½ large onion, diced in large pieces

1 apple, diced in large pieces

1 hot chili pepper, whole

Ingredients for the Crispy Sage Leaves:

about 1 dozen sage leaves

milk, enough to coat the leaves

cornstarch, enough to dredge the leaves

salt

nonstick spray

Video Tutorial: 

Instructions for the Risotto:

1.      Heat the stock until it just begins to boil then lower the heat.

2.      While the stock is heating in a large sauté pan over a medium heat melt 1 tablespoon of the butter then add the sweet potatoes and onions and sauté for 5 minutes.

3.      Add the rice with along with the second tablespoon of butter and sauté for 3-4 more minutes.

4.      Add the sage and let it go for another minute or so then ladle in about 1 ½ cups of stock and allow the rice to gently simmer as you stir until most of the liquid is absorbed. 

5.      Then add another ladle or two of stock so that the rice is just covered and continue with the same method of stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding more stock.  This process will continue for about 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender then turn off the heat.

6.      Just before serving stir in the heavy cream.  This step is optional since the dish itself should already have a very creamy texture.  But if you want to take it to the next level luxury add the cream. 

Instructions for the Sausage: 

1.      Sauté the sausage in about 1 tbs of olive oil over a medium heat until it starts to develop some color.

2.      Add the onions apples and hot pepper and continue sautéing until the onions and apples begin to brown.

3.      Add about 1/2 cup of water and covered the pan and allowed it to gently simmer for another 10 - 15 minutes.

Instructions for the Crispy sage Leaves:

1.      Dip the leaves in milk.

2.      Dredge each leaf in corn starch.

3.      Spray on each side with nonstick spray then sprinkle with salt

4.      Bake at 375 for 5-7 minutes then turn and bake an additional 5 minutes.