Lemon Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Lemon Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients: 500 gm cherry tomatoes; 45 ml (3 tablespoons) olive oil; 1,5 liter chicken stock; 15 ml (1 tablespoon) butter; 1 onion, finely chopped; 500 ml (2 cups) Arborio rice; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine; 125 ml (1/2 cup) cream cheese; juice of 1 lemon, or to taste; grated zest of ½ lemon; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 250 ml (1 cup) fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped; 125 ml (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan cheese

Ah, risotto! I’ve varied a bit from the classic preparation of risotto and added cream cheese at the end of the cooking time. This resulted in a very creamy risotto, brightened by the flavours of the fresh lemon juice and roasted tomatoes.

Published 24 August 2022

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F). Toss the cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt, a pinch of sugar and ground black pepper. Place in a roasting tin and cook for 15 minutes until the skin begins to wrinkle. Set aside.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Cover and keep warm.
Melt the butter and remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the rice and garlic and cook for a two minutes to coat the rice with butter. Add the wine and stir until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir in 1 cup of chicken stock and stir until almost all the liquid is absorbed. Continue to add chicken stock by the ladle full, stirring often, until the rice is cooked. It will take about 25 minutes.
Stir in the cream cheese until melted through. Add the lemon juice and zest and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Now fold in the roasted tomatoes and fresh basil leaves.\ and serve with grated Parmesan cheese.