German Risotto with Lamb Sausage, Beer, and Cheese
07When I first received this German lamb sausage from Lava Lake Lamb, I wasn’t really sure what to do with it. The obvious choice would have been to grill it (or beer-braise and then grill it), slide it into a bun, and enjoy. While that would have been tasty, I wanted to do something a little different. Still, I used the beer as my starting point, and then thought of other things you’d put on a brat, like mustard or cheese. Eventually, I decided to incorporate all those ingredients into a German style risotto. The peas…well, those were mostly to make it look a little prettier and add a little more nutrition. But I do love peas in my pastas and risottos as a rule.
This turned out fabulous and ended up being one of my favorite risottos. The beer was very much a background note (I may even use a little more next time), but you’ll still want to use a good beer (this is not the time for Miller Lite). We had this with a sharp white Cabot cheddar, which was just perfect. I had initially intended on using smoked gouda, but it completely escaped me when it came time to make my grocery list for some reason. Give the gouda a try if cheddar is not your thing. (Is cheddar not everyone’s thing, though?)
German Risotto
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. German lamb sausages, casings removed and crumbled (or sliced)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.25 cups arborio rice
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 cup beer
4 cups chicken broth, kept warm on the stovetop
1/3 cup peas
3 oz. sharp white cheddar or smoked gouda, shredded
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy pan over medium heat, and then add the onions. Stir occasionally, until onions are golden, about 8 minutes. Add the sausage and brown. Stir in the garlic. (Drain any extra fat, if necessary.)
Add the rice and stir a few times until it gets toasty and opaque. Add the dry mustard and the beer. Cook until nearly all the beer has evaporated.
Add 1-2 ladles full of broth. Stir the risotto frequently until nearly all the broth has been absorbed. Add the remaining broth 1 ladle-full at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue this process until the rice is cooked–it should still be a little firm and have a slight bite in the center. Just before it’s finished, stir in the peas and a little extra broth. The risotto should be creamy, and a bit loose (not like regular rice).
Off the heat, stir in the cheese. Season to taste and serve immediately.
I love how you took the German idea and ran with it…German sausages, some beer…now all it needed was some sauerkraut (but really, don’t do that). So original!
Lamb in my risotto and a good Cheddar sound like perfection to me Elly!!!
Elly, this sounds fantastic!
Cheddar is definitely my thing 🙂 This recipe looks delicious, I love a good risotto. Thanks for sharing your recipe, and for using Cabot cheese!
~Jacquelyn
What a unique risotto – love it! Your idea to add the beer and cheese (can I have cheddar and gouda?) is genius!
I’ve been waiting for you to post this! Joey would really love this combo – beer in risotto – how have I never thought of that??
I love your creativity here Elly! I think it’s quite ingenious how you took German style flavours and presented it in this dish. Love the peas too!