Tomato and basil risotto

So dear readers, it' stime to post another risotto recipe. Vegetarian risottos are so nice that I just can't get enough of them. This time I made a slightly different risotto than I usually would as this one is mushroom-free. I liked this one a lot as it's very fresh and it defines tomato and mozzarella combination all over again. This is how to make it:

Ingredients:

200g arborio rice

250g baby plum tomatoes

100g sweet baby peppers

2 garlic cloves

1 onion

1l vegetable stock

1 tomato and herb stock cube

30g butter

1dl white wine

Olive oil

Fresh basil leaves

Salt

Ground black pepper

Emmental cheese grated

Mozzarella balls for serving

Method:

First of all remove the tomato skins, which can be done for example by my regular method. Make small x-cuts on each tomato's skin and dip them for a few seconds into boiling water and then dip them into cold water. After this treatment the skins should easily come off. Save a few tomatoes for the presentation as the topping and the rest will go into the actual risotto in a moment.

Prepare a vegetable stock or use a ready made vegetable stock. Chop the peppers, onion and garlic. Heat a little olive oil in a pan and first sweat the onion and then add the pepper and garlic. Add butter to the pan and let it melt. Then add the arborio rice, stir it in the pan until it's translucent.

Make a white wine addition and let the wine evaporate. After that add a few scoops of the vegetable stock and the tomatoes. Let the risotto simmer under the lid and stir it often. Make some further stock additions when needed.

Once the rice starts being al dente, season the risotto with salt, ground black pepper, a generous amount of chopped fresh basil leaves and emmental cheese. Also add a tomato and herb stock cube. Taste if possibly more wine or butter is needed as well.

Once you're satisfied with the texture and the seasoning serve the risotto with mozzarella balls and decorative tomatoes.

Stay hungry!

Your VegHog