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Italian Main course Rice Vegetarian

Rosemary risotto

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
  • Salt and pepper
  • 500g very ripe plum tomatoes (can use tinned)
  • 50g butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 head celery, white tender parts only, finely chopped
  • 1 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 300g risotto rice
  • 6 teaspoons mascarpone
  • 150g parmesan, grated

Method:

Heat stock and check for seasoning.
If using fresh tomatoes, blanch in boiling water for a minute, remove and place in iced water. Skin and seed them into a sieve over a bowl to reserve juices. Discard seeds and skin. Chop tomatoes finely.
If using tinned tomatoes, drain well and chop finely, reserving juices.

In a heavy bottomed pan, heat butter and oil. Add celery and onion and cook on low heat for 5 mins; they should become soft and slightly coloured. Add the garlic and chopped rosemary, cook for a minute, then add half the tomatoes. Stir to allow to reduce for 3-4 minutes before adding rice. Stir rice into the sauce to allow it to absorb the red of the tomato, cooking it for about 5 mins. Start adding the hot stock ladle by ladle, alternating it with reserved tomato liquid; stir constantly and allow each ladleful to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next.

Add the remaining chopped tomato about halfway through cooking. Cook , stirring constantly, until rice is al dente, usually about 20 mins. Check for seasoning.

You can either stir in the mascarpone at this point or serve with a tsp of it on top of each dish. Sprinkle over the parmesan and serve each plate with a small sprig of rosemary and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

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