dude...seriously...another risotto ?

I know the last time I put a risotto recipe up here...I mentioned that I could do nothing but blog a different risotto from now until the day I died...so on and so forth. I promise this is not going to happen...this will not become a blog about risotto. However...holy crap was this good. Small back story.

Let's say a month ago, Jill and I are were walking home from a night at the movies I believe...and we popped into the Barnes and Noble by Lincoln Center. As usual I began perusing the cooking section and came across a book titled URBAN ITALIAN by ANDREW CARMELLINI. As I flipped the pages I came across this very recipe. It looked so damn good on the page...I had to try it at home. As I happen to have a birthday approaching...I may have made some less than subtle hints as to the amount of appreciation I may have for receiving the book as a gift. We've come across the book in several other locations...Chelsea Market, Borders, independent bookstores in the neighborhood....and I may have dropped hint after hint after hint. So here we are a month later and still a couple weeks from my birthday, but she grabbed the book early for me, and I got to try the recipe at home. Did I mention how good it was...oh right...I did. Just in case you weren't paying attention...holy crap was this good.

If it makes you feel any better about reading ANOTHER risotto recipe, feel free to think of it as a tomato recipe, because this dish has tomatoes, tomatoes, and then a little more tomato as a garnish. It's definitely a seasonal summer dish as ripe tomatoes are key to the flavor, but luckily for us...it's summertime. Let's have a treat.

Tomato Risotto

1 lb. of tomatoes (about 8 small beefsteak)

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 clove garlic sliced thin

2 cups halved cherry or grape tomatoes

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

5 cups of chicken stock

1 tbs. butter

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 tsp. red pepper flake

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

2 tsp. mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1 tbs. chopped rosemary

salt and pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F

Cut beefsteak tomatoes in half and place, face up, on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Lay a slice or two of garlic on each.

Bake the tomatoes on middle rack in the oven for about an hour. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before chopping. Reserve for later use with as much liquid as you can save in the chopping process.

Cook the cherry or grape tomatoes, olive oil, and some salt in a small pot over low heat until oil is bubbly and the tomatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Then remove from heat and reserve.

Heat the chicken stock to a boil then lower the heat and keep at a simmer.

Melt the butter and olive oil together over high heat in a large pot. Add the onions and cook till soft, about 2 minutes, stirring so they don't brown.

Add the red pepper flakes and stir to combine.

Next add the Arborio rice and toss to coat in oil-butter mixture and toast for 1 minute.

Add the white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until wine has been completely absorbed by rice, about 1 minute.

Throw the chopped baked tomatoes and their liquid into the rice mixture. Then add the simmering stock to the rice mixture 1 cup at a time stirring constantly and waiting until each cup is absorbed before adding more stock.

Once all of the stock is incorporated, remove the risotto from the heat, add the mascarpone, Parmigiano-Reggiano, rosemary, salt and pepper and mix well. Top with cherry tomatoes as a garnish and dust with more Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve.

Ok...in all seriousness...it really is one of the best risottos I've ever had. It's rich, creamy, and fresh with various tomato flavors throughout paired with the woodsy herbs of rosemary and thyme. It's seriously good eating. It may look a little labor intensive, and it is, but it's also well worth the effort. And URBAN ITALIAN is well worth the money if you're in the market for a gift for a friend, neighbor, or your own kitchen.

Mangia e statti zitto...

cheers...

dunkin