Some dinners the main dish is the one you spend the time on and others, it’s the side dish. Last night we were having some polish sausages for dinner which only required a quick heat on the stove, so I decided to do something a little more complex for the side.

What I ended up with was a risotto that is a riff on the classic broccoli in cheese sauce. The risotto cooks up beautifully creamy and doesn’t require a ton of cheese to get a great flavor (especially if you use a good sharp cheddar). Roasting the broccoli brings out a deep mellow flavor that you just don’t get from steaming it.

Cheesy Risotto with Roasted Broccoli

1 head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces including some of the stem
1/2 T olive oil
salt

1 t olive oil
1 t butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1/2 c arborio rice
1/4 c white wine
2 1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth (or a mix of broth and water)
1 oz grated sharp cheddar (we used a white cheddar, but white or yellow doesn’t matter)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Put the broccoli into a roasting pan. Drizzle about 1/2 T of olive oil over the broccoli and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Stir to coat. Roast for 35 minutes. You want the broccoli to be cooked and browning. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Keep simmering throughout making this dish.

In a large saucepan, heat the 1 t olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Stir in the rice until coated. Add the white wine and stir until absorbed. Add the chicken broth about 1/2 c at time, stirring until each addition is absorbed before adding the next one. By the last addition the rice should be creamy, but still have a slight bite to it. Stir in cheese until melted.

Stir in broccoli. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 2 servings.