Growing tomatoes and the best risotto ever

the tomato enclosure

This is the way my mum grows tomatoes, a method she has come up with after years of experimentation. Protected from avian tomato fans, shaded from the fierce sun, easy to pick and water (each bucket has a spray at the base of the plant)

On New Years day I picked a massive amount of ripe tasty tomatoes of many varities and took them home to Canberra. 

Tonight I made a risotto which I have to admit was super tasty and all you need is:

Tomatoes, 1 red capsicum, 1 bulb of garlic, olive oil & seasoning, butter, 2 cups of aborio rice, a cup of white wine, 3 cups of stock, fresh basil & maybe some cheese.

First I roasted a pan of tomatoes, a whole red capsicum and a bulb of garlic with a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper.

In a saucepan on low heat I added a scoop of butter and set about popping open all the roast garlic and adding it to the butter.

Add the aborio rice and stir.

Add the cup of wine and stir in.

Throw in the small tomatoes, chop the capsicum and add.

Do the usual with risotto: add liquid bit by bit and stir.

When you have no liquid left turn off the heat, chop the basil and stir through.

To serve I grated a bit of mature cheddar in the base of the bowl before adding the risotto.

mmm yum.