Italian Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Risotto and Lemon-Garlic Broccolini

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Clean 8 portobello mushrooms by gently wiping with a damp paper towel and removing stems. Use a spoon to carefully scrape out the gills, creating a bowl-like cavity. Place mushrooms gill-side up on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and set aside.

In a large pot, bring 4 cups of chicken broth to a simmer, then reduce heat to low to keep warm.

Finely dice 2 shallots and mince 3 cloves of garlic. Chop 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces. Roughly chop 2 cups of fresh spinach.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Remove 1 pound of Italian sausage from casings and add to the skillet, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 7-8 minutes until well-browned, creating a good fond on the pan.

Add half the diced shallots and half the minced garlic to the sausage. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add sun-dried tomatoes to the sausage mixture and cook for 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of white wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil and 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley.

In a separate medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add remaining diced shallots and cook for 2-3 minutes until translucent.

Add 1 1/2 cups arborio rice to the saucepan and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add 1/4 cup white wine to the rice and stir until absorbed.

Begin adding warm chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding more. This process will take about 20-25 minutes total. The risotto is done when rice is creamy but still has a slight bite.

While the risotto cooks, prepare the broccolini. Trim the ends of 2 bunches of broccolini and rinse well. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add remaining minced garlic clove and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Add broccolini to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water, cover, and steam for 2-3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp.

Zest and juice 1 lemon. When broccolini is tender, add 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss well and remove from heat.

Stuff each portobello mushroom with the sausage mixture and return to the oven for 10-12 minutes until mushrooms are tender and filling is hot.

Finish the risotto by stirring in 1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

To serve, spoon risotto onto plates, place 2 stuffed mushrooms on top, and arrange broccolini alongside. Garnish with remaining fresh herbs and additional grated cheese if desired.