Tomato Risotto
Risotto has been a thing I have been reluctant to cook. I have always been convinced that it was a difficult dish to master. But after I have been cooking risotto a few times, I can't see what I was afraid of. Somehow I might have been cooking risotto for many years. Well, not risotto, risotto. But the classic Danish dish Risengrød, is arborio rice cooked in milk, a sweet milky risotto sprinkled with cinnamon. And I have had Risengrød numerous times through my childhood.
This risotto embodies some of my favorite ingredients, tomatoes, wine, parmesan and basil, And of cause is was delisious.
Inspired by Martha Shulmans Tomato Basil Risotto.
Serves 2-3 (4-6 as an appetizer)
Ingredients:
- 700 ml chicken stock, or vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 225 g tomato, grated (2 large tomatoes)
- 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
- 130 g arborio rice
- 100 ml white wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)
- 2 tomatoes, without seeds, and diced
- ¾ dl (about ¼ cup) fresh grated parmesan
- 5 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Directions:
Grate the parmesan, set aside
Grate the tomatoes. Cut the tomato in half at the equator. Grate on the coarse side of a box grater, with the cut side of the tomato up against the grater. Watch your hands. Set aside.
Slice the basil, set aside.
Dice onion, and mince the garlic.
Heat the stock, and keep it warm.
Heat olive oil in a wide sauté pan, sauté the onions until translucent. Add rice and garlic, cook while stirring, until all the rice are coated and they start to crackle. Add grated tomato and thyme, and cook until the rice has absorbed most of the tomato liquid.
Pour in the wine, and let it simmer until the wine is absorbed.
Start adding a small ladleful of hot stock at a time, letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. You want the risotto to cook for a low simmer, stirring constantly. Cook the risotto for about 25 minutes, until the rice are al dente, and they have a little bite, without being crunchy.
Add the diced tomatoes, basil and parmesan, making the risotto nice and creamy. Season the risotto with salt, to taste. Serve Immediately.
Enjoy!