1
In a large pot, saute andoullie sausage in butter until lightly browned. Add onion, celery and peppers and saute until soft. Add garlic and bay leaves stirring for a few minutes.
2
Add rice and stir for a couple minutes until well mixed, rice should become semi-translucent. Add wine, stir and then add the tomatoes with juices. Add 1cup broth and thyme, oregano, cayenne, creole seasoning. (We didn't have thyme or oregano, so we skipped it, but I'm sure these spice add depth & variety to the dish). Bring to a simmer stirring frequently. Taste broth (trying to omit the rice since its not done) - and continue to season to taste. ( We added Crystal Hot Sauce until it was perfectly spicy & vinegary. Our broth didn't even require salt.) Continue adding broth at about a cup at a time. Stir (stir and stir until absorbed/evaporated. The trick with risotto is to only add a bit of broth at time and stir it until it's absorbed...repeating until the risotto is creamy). Usually it takes about 20mins for the risotto to become al dente, start checking for done-ness after 20mins. If you like a more tender rice, then cook about 10min longer. Add the shrimp about 7mins before you remove from heat.
3
If your looking for a really rich & lush addition to this great dish - try adding 1/4-1/3 cup of Half & Half (or whole milk)!! The half & half really enhances the smooth texture of the already creamy risotto. I add this when I added the shrimp. Delicious!
4
For a nice garnish you can top with parsley and sliced green onions.
