Collard Green and Sausage Risotto

Ingredients 
6 cups chicken stock 
Pinch of saffron 
2 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil 
1 pound Italian sausage, casing removed 
1 medium shallot 
2 cloves garlic, minced 
3 cups Arborio rice or Carnaroli rice 
1 (1 pound) bunch collard greens, stemmed and washed 
1 ½ cup white wine
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Lemon zest, for garnish (optional)

Directions
In a medium sauce pot, heat the chicken stock. Add a pinch of saffron to the stock and remove from heat. 

Heat olive oil in a large dutch pot or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, break up the sausage in the pot and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage from the pot and add the shallot and garlic; cook until tender, about 3 minutes.   Add rice to the pan and cook until coated with oil and slightly toasted.

Stir in the collard greens and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add the sausage back to the pan and deglaze the pot by adding the wine and scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Cook wine until it reduces by half, about 6 minutes; stirring often. Pour in enough stock to cover the surface of the rice, and reduce heat to medium-low; stirring often. Allow the liquid to fully absorb into the rice then add another cup of stock. Stir. Repeat until the risotto is tender to bite and creamy. 

Remove the pot from heat and stir in butter, parmesan cheese, and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot immediately and reconstitute the risotto with more stock if necessary. Grate fresh lemon zest on top. Cook with soul. Eat with pleasure! 

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