Tomato Risotto
Rich in tomato flavor, this risotto recipe is worth the effort and your tastebuds will thank you!
Ingredients
Roasted Tomatoes:
- 1 pound cocktail tomatoes, halved, or cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon excellent-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
- Shallot Sea Salt, or fine sea salt, The Spice and Tea Exchange
Tomato Stock:
- 8 cups unsalted or low sodium chicken stock, homemade or an excellent brand (Kitchen Basics, unsalted)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Tomato Powder, The Spice and Tea Exchange
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, hot or mild, hot or mild, The Spice and Tea Exchange
- 1/2 teaspoon finely Ground White Pepper, The Spice and Tea Exchange
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt, use less if using another salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flake, The Spice and Tea Exchange
- 1 pound cocktail tomatoes, halved, seeds removed, see Notes
Risotto:
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small shallot, 1/4" dice (approximately 1/2 cup)
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 cup Arborio rice, or Carnaroli rice (medium-grain rice), see Notes
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, or fresh chives, chopped
Instructions
- Make the Roasted Tomatoes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the halved tomatoes, oil, and pepper in a medium bowl. Give a gentle toss to coat the tomatoes. Spread the tomatoes out on the baking sheet, cut side up. Sprinkle each tomato with a small pinch of Shallot Sea Salt. (Sprinkling each tomato will have less waste of the Shallot Sea Salt.)
- Bake the tomatoes for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until they are soft and some caramelization is seen.
- Remove them from the oven and set aside until ready to use in the risotto recipe. Roasted Tomatoes can be made up to 2 days in advance in the refrigerator, well-covered, then brought to room temperature before serving with the risotto.
- Make the Tomato Stock. In a medium saucepan, heat the stock, tomato paste, tomato powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, salt, crushed red pepper if using, and halved tomatoes.
- Bring the stock mixture up to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Allow the stock to cook for about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the tomatoes. When slightly cooled enough to handle, remove and discard the skins. Place the tomatoes back into the stock. (You can skim out any stray seeds if you prefer.)
- Keep the stock at a low simmer while cooking the risotto.
- Make the risotto. In a wide, shallow skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat.
- Add the shallots and stir well to coat in the oil. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are softening. Turn the heat down if the shallots are browning at all.
- Add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds continually.
- Add the rice and stir continually to “toast.” The rice should turn opaque and have a nutty fragrance. Do not burn.
- Add about 1 cup of the stock and its tomatoes to the risotto and stir until the liquid has been absorbed. Add another cup of the stock and stir again until the liquid has absorbed. Continue this process of adding stock and tomatoes, stirring until the risotto will not absorb any more liquid and the risotto is just tender with a slight “bite” (not hard and gritty) in the center, and the sauce is creamy. This could take 35 to 45 minutes.
- Pour the risotto into a serving bowl, top with parsley or chives, Roasted Tomatoes, and shaved Parmesan.
- Serve very warm.
Notes
This recipe lists a very small amount of smoked paprika. This is not a smoky dish. It should have an underlying flavor of heat.
Cocktail tomatoes are sweet and delicious, which is why I have chosen them for the Roasted Tomatoes and the Tomato Stock. Other varieties of tomatoes will taste different. I love the size of the cocktail tomatoes, too. They are perfect for this dish.
For the tomatoes for the stock, cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Any seeds that did not get removed can be skimmed off the top of the stock (because the seeds will float) with a fine-mesh sieve then discarded.
Valencia rice will work, too. It is also a medium-grain rice.
Nutrition Facts
Tomato Risotto
Amount per Serving
Calories
339.41
% Daily Value*
Fat
9.23
g
14
%
Saturated Fat
1.88
g
12
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
1.07
g
Monounsaturated Fat
5.74
g
Cholesterol
3.37
mg
1
%
Sodium
1719.18
mg
75
%
Potassium
1409.44
mg
40
%
Carbohydrates
54.97
g
18
%
Fiber
4.09
g
17
%
Sugar
9.04
g
10
%
Protein
10.29
g
21
%
Vitamin A
1254
IU
25
%
Vitamin C
39.19
mg
48
%
Calcium
102.45
mg
10
%
Iron
1.9
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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