My very first risotto, oooh!

I just got into the wild world of risotto, after having one of the tastiest dishes of my life on my honeymoon. I've heard so many horror stories from everybody about making this stuff, but it hasn't deterred me at all. If I can even come halfway to making something that good, I'll be a happy guy. I had bought some bags of arborio rice a few weeks ago with the notion of doing it eventually, but after getting some new cookware for a belated wedding gift and realizing that I have $5 worth of heirloom tomatoes in the fridge that need to be eaten this week, I figured I'd give it a try.


The chicken thigh on top was nothing to write home about, and honestly I wish I didn't even cook it. The pan-fried garlic cloves, however, were mega good!

I pan-fried a diced tomato in clarified butter, and added the arborio, letting it cook and get oily. Then I added pinot grigio and let that reduce at a higher temp, then brought it back down to a simmer, and slowly added the better part of 1 1/4 quarts of chicken stock. I used about a quarter of three different heirloom tomatoes to get that silly multi-color effect thing, and added fresh basil from my garden. That was topped with sea salt, cracked pepper, and grüyere cheese.

I don't know what all the fuss is about with this, it was pretty easy to make. I think mine was just a shade below al dente when all was said and done, but that was because I ran out of stock. It maybe needed another ladle and it would've been there.

At any rate, I am stoked to make more of this, and am eager to hear your suggestions. I figure getting a risotto cookbook from my mom and hearing a food podcast for risotto come up today was a sign, because I've really got it on the brain right now.