Main Courses Recipes - Fresh Tomato Risotto Recipe

Ingredients

• 6 plum tomatoes

• Salt and pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 5 tablespoons fresh basil leaves

• 1.5 liters/2 1/2pt chicken stock

• 200g/7oz butter

• 1 red onion (chopped)

• 1 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves

• 1 garlic clove (chopped)

• 250g/9oz risotto rice

• 125ml/4fl oz extra-dry vermouth

• 4 tablespoons tomato sauce

• 75g/3oz Parmesan cheese (grated)

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Place the tomatoes in a bowl of just-boiled water for 30 seconds, skin and roughly chop. Put the tomatoes in a bowl, season and add the olive oil and basil.

2. Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Melt half of the butter in a heavy-based pan, add the onion and cook until soft. Add the thyme and garlic.

3. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain with the butter. Add the vermouth, stirring until it is absorbed, then add the tomato sauce. Season.

4. Add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, only adding more when the last has been absorbed. Stir and continue adding the stock over a period of about 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked.

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the tomatoes, the remaining butter and the Parmesan.