Tomato Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped (or one medium brown onion)
4 cloves garlic, finely sliced
Sprig of thyme
500g arborio rice
150ml dry white wine
600g tomatoes, blended into a liquid (you could use tinned too)
1L stock, vegetable, chicken or shellfish is best. Remember, stock is a major flavour component in risotto so if there’s a time to make your own or splash out on some fancy stuff, this is it!
50g unsalted butter
50g parmesan
Salt and pepper
Handful of fresh basil leaves
Anchovy fillets (optional)

Summary

With basil and tomatoes racing towards their headiest, we thought we’d try them out in a risotto. This recipe was adapted from one by Claire Thomson, if you’re an anchovy fan, we highly recommend adding some juicy fillets on top at the end for that salty, fishy hit!

 

Tomato Risotto 

Bring stock to a boil, then turn off the heat (it’ll keep warm until it’s ready to use).

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan. Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently until softened and translucent, about 7 mins.

Add the thyme and rice and season with a big pinch of salt. Stir to coat every grain in the tasty mix.

Increase the heat to medium and pour in the white wine. Stir continuously until the wine has been absorbed. Add the tomatoes and continue to stir until the liquid has been absorbed.

Add 1 cup of stock and simmer, constantly stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat that process until the rice is al dente (the liquid required can vary, so always taste before adding the last cup of stock).

Remove from the heat and add butter, parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper. Stir and cover for 5 minutes.

Serve in shallow bowls, drizzled with olive oil and garnished with whole basil leaves and whole anchovy fillets. YUM.