Risotto With Fresh Mozzarella Grape Tomatoes Basil Recipes

RISOTTO WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, GRAPE TOMATOES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4 minutes). Set aside.
• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add leek to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
• Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
• Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese.
• Place about 1 cup risotto into each of 6 shallow serving bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon oil.

TOMATO AND BASIL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put your stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle. Stir in the grated tomatoes, sugar, thyme, and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and coat the rice, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine and stir until it has evaporated and been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice, and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often and when you do, stir vigorously. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the additional finely diced tomatoes, basil and Parmesan and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn't). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO RISOTTO WITH MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, bring stock to a simmer. While the stock is heating up, drain sun-dried tomatoes, reserving the oil. Coarsely chop tomatoes and set aside.
• In a large skillet, warm 2 tablespoons tomato oil, add onion and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes.
• Add rice to the pan and stir until white spots begin to appear in the center of the grains, about 1 minute. Spoon a ladle full of the vegetable stock into the pan and cook on low until all of the stock is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding stock one ladle full at a time until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy, approximately 20-25 minutes.
• Add cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of remaining tomato oil, basil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and serve.