make risotto (with the extra time that no one has)

Guess what? I did not make this for dinner last night. Not even a week ago. Longer than that. I have been so busy at "work" lately that any time I have available at home, I need to spend actually cooking the dinner itself, and not sitting here blogging about it. You see, husBen cannot eat these words...and the man needs to be fed. 

This feels like a big week. HusBen takes the Bar exam next Tuesday and we are just trying to remain calm in this house. Funny how heavily a test can bear on your perspective...or sanity...or choice of sweatpants. "One more week and this will all be over," I tell him (while spinning the wheels in my head trying to figure out how I can take care/support him in this final push while also trying to work 80 hours). It's doable, people, I believe it. 

Here is a dish I made awhile back and am finally sitting down to process. It is worth that time you don't have, I promise.

Roasted garden tomato risotto with homemade basil pesto and Parmesan

2 large garden tomatoes

handful of cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

olive oil, salt and pepper

6 cups chicken broth or homemade stock, more if needed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cups Orzo pasta (or arborio rice if you want more classic risotto)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1/2 cup dry-packed or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan, more for serving

basil, julienned

homemade pesto

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roughly chop your large tomatoes into about 1” x 1” chunks and leave your cherry tomatoes whole. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper and place on baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until starting to sizzle and release their juices.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the pasta to the pot with your onions and stir until it begins to turn opaque, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, tomato paste and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until all the wine has been absorbed.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the roasted tomatoes (along with all of their rich juices) and about 1/2 cup of the simmering broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the broth has been completely absorbed. The rice and broth should bubble gently; adjust the heat as needed. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and allowing the rice to absorb the broth before adding the next 1/2 cup. Cook the rice in this way until tender, 25 to 30 minutes in all. This may take awhile, but be present and patient at the stove, as this dish really does merit your attention. You may not need to use all of the liquid. Stir in the pepper and Parmesan. Garnish with basil, a swirl of pesto, and a few roasted cherry tomatoes each. Serve the risotto with additional Parmesan.

adapted from Food & Wine: Sun-Dried-Tomato and Pesto Risotto