Sausage and Zucchini Rice

And another recipe from Rachael Ray. We tried this Sausage & Zucchini Rice after seeing it in the March issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray. This is a good recipe to throw into any weeknight rotation. It's also a nice way to clean out your refrigerator's vegetable drawer. We always seem to have onion & zucchini in there. Oh, and really try to use the pine nuts in this recipe. Their flavor, once roasted, really stood out in the dish.



Sausage and Zucchini Rice

4 tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups rice

One 32-ounce container (4 cups) chicken broth

1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings discarded

2 zucchini, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and 3 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, breaking it up, over medium heat until no longer pink, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate. Add the zucchini to the skillet and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet; add the remaining 1 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup water and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the rice along with 1/2 cup parmesan, the parsley and the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and the pine nuts.