Risotto with Alheira and Parsley
A creamy, no‑nonsense risotto with alheira and parsley. One pan, one mood.
Ingredients
- 1 alheira sausage (about 150–200 g), cut into slices or chunks
- 150 g arborio or risotto rice
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced (optional)
- 50 g butter
- 30 g olive oil
- 500–600 ml warm stock (vegetable or chicken, or homemade)
- 50 ml white wine (optional, but recommended)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Grated cheese (parmesan or any Azores hard cheese)
Instructions
Heat the stock in a small pot until warm, and keep it ready to add to the rice.
In a wide pan, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft and lightly golden.
Add the alheira and cook until lightly browned and starting to crisp at the edges, breaking it up with a spoon.
Stir in the rice and cook for 1–2 minutes until the grains turn slightly translucent.
If using wine, add it now and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Start adding the warm stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and waiting for each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next.
Continue until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 15–18 minutes total.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a knob of butter, salt, black pepper, and plenty of chopped parsley. Add grated cheese if you like.
Serve immediately in bowls, with an extra drizzle of olive oil, more parsley, and a piece or two of alheira on top.
If you’re reading this and thinking about trying the recipe, just remember: if it’s not perfect, it’s still good.
And if it’s a bit of a disaster, you eat it anyway — this isn’t MasterChef, it’s just fancy arroz de alheira.