If you’re one of those people who gets irritated by the specter of pumpkin spice — or, gasp, Halloween decor — on an 85-degree week in September; if you understand that there are what will feel like infinite months left to spend shivering and longing for stew, and there’s no reason to beckon them any sooner; if you find yourself gritting out “but there’s another week of summer!” at your screen when confronted with ads for wool coats and other things you simply refuse to acknowledge before you must, come sit down. You’re among friends.
Well, a single friend. It’s feeling lonely here. But I insist upon embracing summer cooking for as long as summer produce lasts — tomatoes in particular. I miss them all winter too much to throw them out of the kitchen when the first apple arrives.
[I also want to make it absolutely clear that no matter how it seems, I am not projecting my complicated feelings about one child starting middle school and the other, their senior year of high school, on dwindling summer produce. Not even a little.]
Right, so: Have you ever made these rice-stuffed tomatoes? My favorite part is the way the short-grain rice absorbs that clear-noted, pure tomato sauce. I think about it all of the time and it led me here, to a just-the-filling standalone recipe. To make a tomato risotto as simple and uncluttered as possible, I use grated tomato pulp, a bit of onion and garlic, and a glug of wine. Since I really want it to taste like those tomatoes, I even use water instead of broth.
That’s not the only risotto sacrilege I commit, because as we discussed a few years ago, almost everything we’ve been taught is mandatory about making risotto turns out not to be, including the aforementioned broth, but also constant stirring and heaps of butter and cheese.
The single lily gilded was my desire for a crisp topping that wasn’t one of the obvious ones, like pan-crisped prosciutto, salami, or bacon. Instead, we’re using thinly-sliced red onions we “frizzle” early in the cooking process. Half go into the baked risotto, half are sprinkled on top in the end, and I’m obsessed with the fragrance, depth, and gentle kiss of cooler flavors they impart in this insistently late-summer dish. Finish with basil leaves, parmesan, and a knob of butter or drizzle of olive oil if you wish. Or, you could keep this entirely vegan with just olive oil, basil, and the onions. There’s so much flavor, you won’t miss a thing.
Tomato Risotto with Frizzled Red Onions
- 2 pounds (905 grams) large, ripe beefsteak tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium-large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
- Olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) dry white wine
- 1 cup (200 grams) uncooked arborio or carnaroli, or another short-grained rice, such as sushi rice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- About 2 cups (275 ml) water
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 grams) butter or olive oil, to finish
- Grated parmesan cheese, to finish
- Handful basil leaves, to finish
Prepare the risotto: Grate halved tomatoes, the cut side pressing against the large holes of a box grater, pressing the tomato flesh and juices through and reserving as much as you can of the outer skin. Discard it. You should have about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of tomato pulp.
In a 4-quart Dutch oven [I’m using this] or deep, oven-safe saucepan with a lid, heat 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil medium-high heat. Add red onion and cook, stirring, until it softens, then continue to cook until they become deeply golden brown and mostly crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer half to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Set it aside.
Add garlic to onions left in the pan and cook, stirring, for one minute. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, plus a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. Add uncooked rice and toast gently in the onion and garlic for 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until it disappears. Pour in your grated tomato pulp, then 2 cups of water. Season it well — I add 2 teaspoons kosher salt to start, then more to taste, plus many grinds of black pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer, then turn heat off.
Place lid on pot and transfer to the oven. Bake risotto for 25 to 30 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed, but it looks a tiny bit watery. I like to check in halfway just to make sure all of the liquid isn’t absorbed. If it looks low, add another 1/2 cup water.
To finish: Transfer pan to a trivet or cooling rack on your counter. Remove the lid and stir mixture for 2 minutes, or until it looks more creamy and risotto-like. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to your taste. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter (or olive oil) to finish, stirring it in. Scatter with toppings of your choice, such as parmesan and torn basil. Finish with reserved frizzled onions and serve.
Previously
6 months ago: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
1 year ago: Cabbage and Halloumi Skewers
2 years ago: Napa Cabbage Wedge with Miso Dressing
3 years ago: Simple Eggplant Parmesan
4 years ago: Eggplant Involtini
5 years ago: Baked Farro with Summer Vegetables
6 years ago: Shaved Fennel and Crushed Olive Salad and Corn Coconut Soup
7 years ago: Salted Caramel Pretzel Blondies
8 years ago: Foolproof Cacio e Pepe
9 years ago: Cheesecake Bars with All The Berries and Corn Chowder with Chile, Lime, and Cotija
10 years ago: Eggplant Parmesan Melts and Even More Perfect Blueberry Muffins
11 years ago: Angel Hair Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce, Crispy Peach Cobbler, and Corn Chowder Salad
12 years ago: Strawberries and Cream with Graham Crumbles and Corn, Cheddar and Scallion Strata
13 years ago: Almond-Crisped Peaches, Key Lime Popsicles and Zucchini Parmesan Crisps
14 years ago: Mediterranean Baked Feta with Tomatoes, Leek, Chard, and Corn Flatbread and Vanilla Custards with Roasted Blueberries
15 years ago: Hazelnut Plum-Crumb Tart, Zucchini Fritters, and Naked Tomato Sauce
16 years ago: Eggplant Salad Toasts and Peach Shortbread
17 years ago: Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza and Peach Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Frosting
18 years ago: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Kefta and Zucchini Kebabs and Dimply Plum Cake
19 years ago: Double Chocolate Torte and Spicy Soba Noodles with Shiitakes
20! years! ago! Moules Frites and 44-Clove Garlic Soup
Senior year of high school??? How??? But I remember reading this blog in like 2007 when I was in college and NaNoBlogMo was a thing and there was no bun in the oven. And I remember when you posted a small newborn the size of a crisco can! This cannot be!!!!!! What is time???
Also congrats to the kiddos and hope they have a great new year of school.
The frizzled red onions sound like the perfect finishing touch! That little bit of sweetness and crunch should work beautifully with the creamy risotto. I also love how this recipe makes the most of ripe tomatoes while keeping the ingredients relatively simple. Definitely one to try while tomatoes are in season.