Risotto con Regagli (Risotto with Giblets)

In her book "Cucina Ebraica: Flavors of the Italian Jewish Kitchen," Joyce Goldstein points out that "the thrifty Italian Jewish cook wasted no part of the chicken." She also says that this sauce is delicious tossed with pappardelle. Serves 6.

Ingredients

3/4 pound assorted giblets (gizzards, hearts, and livers)

5 tablespoons olive oil, plus oil for saut�ing livers (optional)

2 onions, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups dry red or white wine

7 cups chicken or turkey broth

2 cups arborio rice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced plum tomatoes (fresh or canned)

Trim liver, cutting away connective pieces and any dark spots. Cut into large bite-sized pieces, keeping the lobes intact as much as possible. Refrigerate until needed. Trim heart of fat. Trim all fat, connective tissue and gristle from gizzards, leaving just the meaty parts.

Warm 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saut� pan over medium heat. Add 1 onion, carrots and celery and saut� until softened, 5-8 minutes. Add garlic, gizzards and hearts, and saut� for 5 minutes. Add wine and let it bubble up in pan. When reduced by half, add enough of broth to barely cover the gizzards and hearts (about 2 cups). Simmer over low heat until tender, about 1 hour or so. Remove giblets from pan with slotted spoon, transfer to a cutting board, and chop coarsely. Set giblets aside.

Pour remaining broth (about 5 cups) into a saucepan and bring to a simmer; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add remaining diced onion and saut� until softened, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add a ladleful (about 1 cup) of simmering broth and stir for 3-4 minutes until broth is absorbed. Reduce heat and continue to add broth a ladleful at a time, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding next, until rice kernels are al dente at center and creamy on outside, 18-20 minutes in all.

Meanwhile, cook the liver: To keep it kosher, broil liver until cooked through. If not, you may saut� them in a separate pan in olive oil until golden outside and still pink in center. Season with salt and pepper and set aside; keep warm. Just before rice is ready, stir in giblets and tomatoes, and warm through. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and garnish with liver. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 620 calories (190 from fat), 21g total fat (5g sat fat), 160mg chol, 370 mg sodium, 70g total carbohydrate (3g fiber, 5g sugars), 25g protein