leek and dolcelatte risotto

I don’t know why but I find making risotto very calming after a day of head-hurting work but I do. I think it must be the constant stirring as  the rice plumps up, going at its own pace thank you very much. So here is a calming experience – once everything is chopped up and ready to go, of course.

Risotto is basically the same every time. Fry chopped onion in a tablespoon of olive oil in a largeish saucepan, stir in 3-4 ounces of risotto rice per person (I use arborio), splosh in some white wine if you are using it and then add a ladleful of hot stock and stir continuously until its absorbed, then stir in another ladleful and another and… until the rice is how you want it – with a bit of bite or soggy – that word shows which I like. Season and serve.

So the only changes here were (for two people as usual):

• add 4 small leeks (washed and chopped into half inch slices) to the onion and stir till it is softening – and then add the rice
• add a tablespoon of frozen peas with the last ladleful of stock
• add 4 ounces of chopped dolcelatte once the last ladleful has been absorbed and stir until melted
• lastly gently fold in 4 small tomatoes (quartered).

I was delighted to find those tomatoes at the greengrocer’s. Fresh tomatoes aren’t at all in season BUT if a market gardener within 10 miles is going to grow them under glass, who am I to say no thank you? And these were lovely – little  and sweet. They gave just the right finishing touch to the creamy risotto.