Today’s been a strange kind of a day, sunny and warm but with bluster, doors slamming, windows rattling, things being blown from their tethers. So whilst it’s very much summer there’s been a hint of the wind checking summer’s stupor hasn’t deprived it of its twist and roll.
So a day which called for doors flung open freshness combined with the cosy closing of a shutter. I think I found it in tomato risotto.
There’s a lot of hob hugging as you stand and stir but with a gusty breeze moving through the kitchen it’s a pleasure not a chore. And before you even taste a forkful, lean in extra close for the scent and sizzle of white wine hitting the glassy, butteriness of sauteed onion and garlic. And after the olfactory overture, the tomatoes slide in for a sniff laden symphony.
Meanwhile your stirring will keep it’s own beat. Everytime you pass 4 o’clock on a wooden spoon hour there’s a thrup and glump akin to pulling velco apart.
And at the end, a rich tomato riceness that’s all seasons in one pot.
How I made It for 2-3 people:
- Heavy bottomed pan (Something like Le Crueset is perfect)
- 20g butter – put pan on the hob and melt butter in it
- 1 finely chopped onion, 1 finely chopped garlic clove, gently fry these in the melted butter until softened (about 5 minutes or so )
- Add 225g of Arborio risotto rice to the above. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. This is to ensure all the grains of rice get a coating from the butter etc.
- Add 125ml of white wine ( enjoy the hot pan hitting moment ), keep stirring until all the wine has been absorbed ( won’t be that long)
- Add 400g can of chopped tomatoes ( inc their juice). Add a 1/4 of a can at a time. Keep stirring (again doesn’t take that long)
- Add about 125ml of water slowly
- Then its just a question of stirring it for about 20 -25 minutes. I’m not sure you need to do it constantly. But on a weekend, with a magazine propped beside the hob (can’t be a book unless you don’t mind risotto splashes) it’s a pleasant enough way to make you feel like you’re doing something useful whilst really you’re just sneaking in more reading time !
- According to the packet of Arborio I used’ the rice should be ‘creamy and tender but with a little bit of bite and not sticky’. At which point stir in a large handful of grated parmesan and let it all melt away into the rice.
- Wield a big ladle, scoop out of the pan and serve
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Yum. Looks delicious. Would you mind sharing the recipe?
Hello
I’ve updated the post and put the ‘recipe’ on it. I’m not really a cook so was a bit nervous about saying this is how you do something – but am happy to share ! I hope you don’t mind the UK measures but I thought I’d really get in a muddle if I tried converting them !
It’s a first for me in posting on this site in that there are no fresh tomatoes involved but it was a lovely day, the tail end of a weekend, I had little fresh food but didn’t want to take time out to go shopping – so it was all store cupboard.
If you still have fresh basil to use you I’m sure a little of that would add another lovely flavour right at the end!
Your tomatoes are looking very handsome ! I hope those deer know that it’s your turn to eat them this year.
Thanks, Sally! This sounds great. I will have to give it a try. I may struggle a bit with the conversion but I am sure I can figure it out.
I think I will take your suggestion and throw in some basil, too!