Saturday, July 14, 2012

Sun Dried Tomato Risotto with Mozzarella


This dish starts with a pretty basic risotto - olive oil, white onion, fresh garlic, Arborio rice, dry white wine, homemade white chicken stock, and fresh Parmesan Reggiano.  I added a bit of fresh thyme and just a dash of freshly grated nutmeg for a bit more complexity.  The nutmeg is optional but the thyme is not IMHO. 

Once the risotto is ready, stir in just a small splash of heavy cream and ~ tsp unsalted butter. Taste to make sure your seasoning (salt) is balanced, then crumble whole milk mozzarella cheese over the top and cover to speed up melting.  Finally, plate the risotto in a bowl and place *prepared cherry tomatoes in the center and drizzle EVOO infused with basil over top.  Finish by shaving a bit of Parmesan Reggiano on top and serve.  Risotto should be served in a consistency that cannot stand in a heap.  If your risotto does this, it is too dehydrated.  This dish can be served as an appetizer or in a large portion for an entree.  If you give this a try, let me know.

*Before starting the risotto, preheat your oven to 375.  Then halve some sweet cherry tomatoes and put them on a cookie sheet covered in foil.  Brush the tomatoes with EVOO and season with sea salt, grated black pepper, garlic powder, and fresh thyme.  Cook the tomatoes until they start to dehydrate.

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