Risotto With Fresh Mozzarella Grape Tomatoes Basil Food

THE BEST RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the chicken stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• Heat the olive oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and about 10 grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the bay leaves and 3 tablespoons butter, stirring until the butter has melted, about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and toast, stirring only once, until it smells nutty and starts to turn light golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until it has evaporated completely, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Ladle one cup of the warm stock into the rice and cook, stirring gently without stopping, until the rice has absorbed the liquid, 2 to 3 minutes (you will know it's time to add more stock when you move the rice aside and no liquid pools in the center).
• Repeat this process, adding more stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is al dente, 17 to 19 minutes. Discard the bay leaves. (You may have a little stock left over. If so, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.) If you prefer your risotto on the saucier side, add more stock 1/4 cup at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
• Stir in the Parmesan, the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few more grinds of black pepper and serve with more Parmesan, if desired.

FRESH TOMATO BASIL RISOTTO WITH MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• 1. Mix first 5 ingredients; stir well and set aside. Bring broth to a simmer in medium pan Don't boil. Keep warm over low heat. Heat 2 tsp. oil in large pan over medium high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
• 2. Add wine; Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute or til liquid is nearly absorbed. Add warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly til each addition is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Add tomato mixture; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mozzarella and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

RISOTTO WITH FRESH MOZZARELLA, GRAPE TOMATOES, AND BASIL

Steps:

• Place vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4 minutes). Set aside.
• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add leek to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender.
• Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
• Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total).
• Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese.
• Place about 1 cup risotto into each of 6 shallow serving bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon oil.

RISOTTO WITH FRESH MOZZARRELLA, GRAPE TOMATOES AND BASIL

Steps:

• Bring vinegar to boil over medium heat. Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 4 minutes. set aside.
• Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan but do not oil. Keep warm.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add leek to pan;saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 2 minutes stirring constantly.
• Stir in wine and cook 1 minute until liquid is nearly absorbed. Stir in broth in ladle full portions, and stir constantly while being absorbed, about 25 minutes. Stir in half and half, salt and pepper, cook 2 minutes. remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, basil and cheese. Place in serving bowls and drizzle each serving and with 1/2 teaspoon of balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon olive oil.

TOMATO AND BASIL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put your stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet or a wide, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and garlic and cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle. Stir in the grated tomatoes, sugar, thyme, and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and coat the rice, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine and stir until it has evaporated and been absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice, and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, adding more stock and stirring when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often and when you do, stir vigorously. When the rice is just tender all the way through but still chewy (al dente), in 20 to 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning.
• Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the additional finely diced tomatoes, basil and Parmesan and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn't). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

RISOTTO WITH TOMATOES, OLIVES, SMOKED MOZZARELLA

Steps:

• Heat the butter in pressure cooker over medium-high heat. When it begins to foam, add the leeks, herbs, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Stir in the rice and coat it with the butter. Add the wine and cook over high heat, stirring, until it evaporates, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth and black olives.
• Lock the lid in place. Over high heat, bring to high pressure. Lower the heat to maintain high pressure and cook for 4 minutes. Quick-release the pressure by setting the cooker under cold running water. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape.
• Boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the rice is tender but still chewy and the risotto loses most of its soupiness and becomes creamy and thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the smoked mozzarella, green olives, parsley, and salt, if needed. Continue to stir just until the mozzarella has softened and the parsley becomes limp, about 30 seconds. Serve in large shallow bowls.

BAKED TOMATO, MOZZARELLA & BASIL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat half the oil in an ovenproof pan or casserole dish, then stir in the onion and cook over a low heat for 8-10 mins until golden. Scatter over the rice and mix well until coated. Pour over the wine, if using, and cook for 2 mins until absorbed. Pour over the hot stock, then give the rice a quick stir. Put the dish in the oven and bake the rice for 10 mins.
• Remove from the oven and stir through the tomatoes, basil, half of the parmesan and some seasoning. Flatten everything out roughly with the back of a spoon, then nestle the chunks of mozzarella evenly into the risotto. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and the remaining parmesan, and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Put the dish back in the oven, and bake everything for another 10-15 mins until the rice is just cooked through, heating it under the grill if you want a deep, golden crust. Leave to stand for a few minutes, scatter with a few extra basil leaves and serve scooped straight from the dish.