Perfect Tomato Risotto
Risotto is one of those dishes that so many people find scary to make. Yet, it’s actually a breeze if (1) you use quality ingredients, (2) you have all your ingredients lined up and ready to go and (3) you keep an eye on the risotto. This is not a dish that gets thrown in a pot and put in the oven and then voila thirty minutes later, you have dinner. This dish beckons you to partake in the process – indeed, it demands it. But the rewards are so worth it. Nothing screams comfort food like a good plate of risotto.
Here’s what you need for approximately eight cups of finished risotto:
FOR RISOTTO:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup yellow or white onion, minced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
2 cups arborio rice
3 cups very hot water
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 can (28 ounces) diced San Marzano tomatoes (not drained)
½ – 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
FOR GARNISH:
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1 TBSP Pinot Grigio vinegar
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
6 figs, cut into quarters
2 TBSP butter or butter substitute
1 TBSP Balsamic vinegar
Put the first six ingredients into a large pot and over a medium high flame:
Stir until the onions are translucent, and the garlic just starts to brown on the edges, about five minutes:
Add the rice:
Turn up the heat to high and stir continuously for a few minutes, but don’t let the rice start to brown. The goal is to heat up the kernels of the rice but not to brown them:
When you see that the rice is just beginning to brown, add the three cups of hot water and chicken bouillon:
The water needs tobe hot, because cold water shocks the kernels and slows the cooking process. Now stir continuously for about five minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed:
Then add the tomatoes and liquid:
Stir and stir and stir some more:
After about 5-10 minutes (depending upon the heat and how fast your rice is absorbing the liquid), most of the moisture will have been absorbed:
The goal is to finish the cooking with just a tiny bit of moisture left in the pan. Add the cheese:
And remove from the heat. Stir a few more times to incorporate the cheese. (Note – if you prefer, you can use Parmesan or Romano cheese, or even a nice Asiago, to the mix instead of Cheddar. We chose Cheddar tonight because Cheddar tends to lend a silkiness to the finished dish that the former cheeses do not. Just be careful that if you use a hard, pungent cheese, the salt level will also increase. Be mindful of this when adding salt to the recipe. For example, if you want to use Asiago cheese instead of Cheddar, you should omit any salt until the very end and only add salt if necessary. In addition, the more flavorful the cheese, the less you will want to use. If in doubt, try the recipe with a half cup of grated cheese and then decide if you need more.)
Let the pot sit (uncovered) for a few minutes while you make the garnish. During these few minutes, the rice will absorb any remaining water. You don’t want direct heat on the rice during these last few minutes, for risk of burning the rice. For the tomato garnish, add the chopped Roma tomatoes (if you can’t find Roma tomatoes, use plum tomatoes), the vinegar and the olive oil. (If you have a few leaves of fresh basil, feel free to chop up a few and add here.) Stir together:
Chop up the figs:
Add to the butter (or in our case, butter substitute):
Heat until bubbly and then add the Balsamic vinegar:
Continue heating (and stirring occasionally) until the figs have a nice crust to them, about four minutes:
Plate up the risotto. Garnish with a spoonful or two of the tomato mixture and a few figs. We love a good swirl of olive oil to finish the plate:
Add some toasted Pugliese bread and a glass of Barolo, and it’s a meal:
