Simple Tomato and Basil Risotto

Believe it or not I still have basil in my garden. It no longer looks perfect, but it does the job for some fresh herbs. With our garden done for the season all we’re left with is our pots – begonias still hanging on, the yellow mums tempting the squirrels, the rosemary still hangs on and the parsley is still growing. The bush basil though is finishing off and so I thought I’d use some of it up and pick up some tomatoes – they still seem to hanging on at the markets too.

Simple Tomato Risotto            serves 4 (Canadian Gardening Annual 2011)

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

4 cups vegetable stock

¼ cup dry vermouth

2 tbs butter

2 tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large leek, sliced

½ cup Arborio rice

1 large handful fresh basil, roughly torn

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Pour stock and vermouth into a saucepan and warm. Melt 1 tbs butter in another saucepan. Add the garlic and leek and cook for 4-5 mins, until softened. Add the rice and cook for 1 min, until the white dots in the rice appear. Add about ¼ cup of the stock mixture to the rice and stir constantly until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue doing this until the rice becomes tender. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, cheese and remaining butter until well combined.