Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto

This past week, I did something that I haven't done in a few months, probably since we were living in Jacksonville. I went through some of my favorite websites and blogs (cookbooks are in storage, I'm really missing the Moosewood ones!) and printed out dozens of recipes and put them in a folder. On Friday, I went through the recipes and picked out six to make for dinner each night this week (we leave for a weekend trip on Friday!) It has been so nice to have a new variety of things, especially this risotto.

I made a few small changes from the original, a Cooking Light recipe, specifically adding some wine, using diced canned tomatoes, and a grate of Parmesan to finish the dish.  The flavors were delicious, basically a caprese salad, but warm and comforting, a nice way to taste the best flavors of summer in the cooling fall weather!

Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto

slightly adapted from Cooking Light

1 tsp. butter

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 c. arborio rice

1/4 c. dry white wine

1 c. canned, diced tomatoes

3 c. vegetable stock, warmed

2 c. fresh baby spinach leaves

1 dozen basil leaves, roughly chopped

2 oz. fresh mozzarella, chopped

1 oz. fresh grated parmesan cheese

Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Heat a shallow skillet over medium heat.

Add butter and olive oil, melt together, then add onion and garlic, saute for 5 minutes.

Add rice, stir to gently toast for 2 minutes.

Add white wine, when liquid has reduced to half, add tomatoes and about 1/2 c. stock.

Once stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 c., continuing to stir rice every minute or two and adding more stock, as needed.

After about 20 minutes of adding stock and stirring risotto, turn heat off.

Fold in spinach and basil leaves, then add mozzarella and parmesan and gently fold.

Taste and add more salt, if necessary, it might be salty enough, season with black pepper.

Serve immediately.