Food & Drink

Cream of Tomato Risotto

Pair this with the a simple, juicy beef tenderloin and you have a satisfying meal that is sure to please everyone at the table.

When the creamy consistency of risotto is combined with fresh tomatoes, you get that old-fashioned cream-of-tomato-soup flavor without the cream.

Cream of Tomato Risotto

Makes 4 portions

INGREDIENTS

1½ tablespoons olive oil
¾ cup chopped onion
1 cup Arborio rice
4 cups homemade or canned broth
¾ cup canned plum tomatoes, slightly crushed, with their juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole. Add the onion and cook over low heat until soft, 3 minutes. Then add the rice and cook, stirring, another 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil in another saucepan. Reduce the heat and keep it at a simmer.
Slowly add 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice, stirring constantly. Continue to stir, allowing the rice to simmer. When the stock has been absorbed, add ½ cup and allow it to simmer, stirring well until it has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly, until almost all the stock has been added.
Add the tomatoes and rosemary. Continue cooking and stirring, adding the remaining stock in ¼-cup amounts, until the rice is slightly creamy and just tender. Altogether the rice should cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
When all the stock has been absorbed, stir in the Parmesan and black pepper. Serve immediately.

The New Basics Cookbook
by Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso

Encyclopedic in scope, rich with recipes and techniques, and just plain fascinating to read, The New Basics Cookbook is the indispensable kitchen reference for all home cooks.

This is a basic cookbook that reflects today’s kitchen, today’s pantry, today’s taste expectations. A whimsically illustrated 875-recipe labor of love, The New Basics features a light, fresh, vibrantly flavored style of American cooking that incorporates the best of new ingredients and cuisines from around the world.