VEGETARIAN, ENTREES Erin Neal VEGETARIAN, ENTREES Erin Neal

Sending Off Summer

I love tomatoes - like, really love them. We spent the end days of September canning a million tomatoes to store for the winter - a daunting task that leaves me feeling enormously satisfied and excited for the amazing Fall and Winter dishes that lay ahead. One of my absolute favourite meals, on a chilly Winter evening, is this Tomato & Saffron Risotto with Basil Cream - a dish universally embraced by everyone in my family, even my picky children who wouldn't give veggies a second glance otherwise. 

Don’t let the word risotto intimidate you - take your time with this recipe and show it who’s boss - the results will be mind-blowing! Enjoy!

I love tomatoes - like, really love them. We spent the end days of September canning a million tomatoes to store for the winter - a daunting task that leaves me feeling enormously satisfied and excited for the amazing Fall and Winter dishes that lay ahead. One of my absolute favourite meals, on a chilly Winter evening, is this Tomato & Saffron Risotto with Basil Cream - a dish universally embraced by everyone in my family, even my picky children who wouldn't give veggies a second glance otherwise. 

Don’t let the word risotto intimidate you - take your time with this recipe and show it who’s boss - the results will be mind-blowing! Enjoy!


TOMATO + SAFFRON RISSOTO W/BASIL CREAM

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 small pinch saffron
  • 1 L good vegetable stock
  • 500 ml jar of canned tomatoes - coarsely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
  • 1/2 cup 35% whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 6 large basil leaves, chopped
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and pepper

Method

Place 2 medium sized pots on medium heat. In one, bring the vegetable stock and tomatoes to a gentle simmer. Add the saffron and keep warm.

In the second pot, add a few glugs of olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted add in the onion and sweat, taking care not to colour them, until they are nice and soft.

Add the Arborio rice to the onions, stirring to coat with the onion/butter mixture and allowing the rice to toast for a few minutes.

Begin ladling the warm vegetable stock into the rice, one ladle-full at a time. As you add each ladle-full of stock, stir the rice vigorously until the stock is absorbed . You will notice once this happens the rice becomes thick and creamy. Repeat this process until the rice is soft yet still firm in the centre. You only need to add enough stock to get to this point.

Finish the risotto with a touch more stock, as it will thicken as your plating, and add the mascarpone cheese and half of the parmesan. Taste a spoonful and adjust seasoning with kosher salt.

With a whisk or mixer, whip cream to soft peaks. Gently fold in chopped basil and allow to sit for 5 minutes in the refrigerator. 

Plate the risotto in a bowl or plate. Add a spoonful of the basil to the top of the risotto. Garnish with the remaining parmesan, a drizzle of good olive oil and some freshly ground pepper. 

Enjoy!

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SALADS Erin Neal SALADS Erin Neal

Tomatoes On the BBQ?!

The growing season in Ontario is short and each fruit and vegetable has a preciously small window of time to grace our plates. Fresh-out-of-the-garden tomatoes are possibly my favourite thing to eat - out of hand, in a sauce or roasted with its comrades over a smokey barbecue.

Tossing a tomato on the barbie probably isn't the first thing you'd think of while brainstorming the perfect summer salad but let me teach you my ways, friends. You'll quickly become addicted to smoked tomatoes and you'll also perfect "smoking veggies on the barbecue for beginners"  with this simple but, insanely delicious recipe. 

The growing season in Ontario is short and each fruit and vegetable has a preciously small window of time to grace our plates. Fresh-out-of-the-garden tomatoes are possibly my favourite thing to eat - out of hand, in a sauce or roasted with its comrades over a smokey barbecue.

Tossing a tomato on the barbie probably isn't the first thing you'd think of, while brainstorming the perfect summer salad, but let me teach you my ways, friends. You'll quickly become addicted to smoked tomatoes and you'll also perfect "smoking veggies on the barbecue for beginners"  with this simple but, insanely delicious recipe. 


SMOKED TOMATO + FRESH BUFFALO MOZZARELLA SALAD W/ BASIL + BALSAMIC

 

Ingredients

  • 1 pint of ripe cherry tomatoes
  • 6 large basil leaves, finely sliced, plus a few small leaves for garnish
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup of your favourite olives, pitted
  • 1 ball of the freshest buffalo mozzarella you can find
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Maldon sea salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 cups of hickory, cherrywood or applewood wood chips, soaked in water for 1 hour 

Method

Place wood chips is a large bowl, cover with warm water and weigh down with a plate, ensuring they are fully immersed in water - leave them for at least an hour to soak fully.

When the wood chips are smoked, preheat your bbq to 250 degrees celsius using only one side of the grill. Drain the wood chips and wrap them in tin foil - on one side of the package carefully pierce small holes in the foil with a toothpick.  Place the wood chips on the fire, with the holes facing up, and close the lid allowing the smoke to build up.

Meanwhile, toss the tomatoes in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the seasoned tomatoes in a disposable pie pan and place over the side of the grill that isn’t turned on.Smoke the tomatoes for 30-40 min, until they are soft and slightly darker.

Once the tomatoes have finished smoking, toss them with a splash of balsamic and sliced basil and season to taste with salt, pepper and more balsamic if needed.

Plate the tomatoes and top them with the buffalo mozzarella. Drizzle the mozzarella with some extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkling of the Maldon salt and some fresh pepper. Garnish with the small basil leaves and enjoy with warm, toasty bread.

Enjoy!

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