Fennel Risotto with Slow Roast Smoked Garlic Tomato and Basil Oil

The thing about risotto is that it’s so versatile. This vegetarian risotto uses fennel and a fantastic slow roast tomato that bursts in to the rice to sauce the whole dish. This recipe will serve 2.

You will need:

2 Large Tomatoes

4 Echallion Shallots

1 Small Fennel Bulb

Smoked Garlic

40g Bunch of Basil

150ml Olive Oil

1lt Veg or Chicken Stock

100g Risotto Rice

100ml White wine

3 tbs Grated Parmesan

Salt and Pepper to taste.

1. Make your basil oil. In a food processor add the basil and olive oil with a pinch of salt. Blend until completely smooth.

2. Take your tomatoes and make a small slit next to the stalk. Finely slice a slither of garlic and insert it you the hole. Drizzle over some olive oil and some sea salt and put in the oven at 150 degrees for 40 minutes.

3. In a pan drizzle in a little olive oil then add the finely chopped shallots, fennel and 1 clove of garlic. Gently sweat until the onions are translucent and soft. Add your rice and stir for a couple of minutes before adding the wine.

4. Cook off the wine then add a ladle of stock at a time. Keep stirring and adding the stock until the rice is tender.

5. Add in the Parmesan and stir.

6. Take out the tomatoes from the oven and allow to rest for a couple of minutes. Ladle in the rice to your  bowl. Top the risotto with the tomato then drizzle over a little olive oil and some of the basil oil.

Enjoy!