Usually I make a batch of food for lunches on Sunday night. Last week, Sunday came and went, with no desire to cook, so I was left with my Monday evening. Risotto is a dish that many people seem to think is difficult to make. In fact, it’s quite simple, quick, and hearty, and easy to make in lunch-quantity. Restaurant standard risotto mine may not be–I like to cut the quantity of butter and cheese used to finish the dish, for example–but it’s a meal that can be dressed up as easily as down.

For this meal, I had some arborio rice, farmer’s market sage sausage from the first market day of the season, and a fennel bulb. Peas I always have on hand in the freezer, and the saffron was an impulse buy from World Market.

I’ve made risotto enough that I only very loosely follow recipes now, but this one was inspired by Food and Wine. I used a shallot instead of onion, and sage sausage instead of Italian, and the whole thing turned out fabulously.