Rarebit Risotto

Source: Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers

1 quart of vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice
12 ounces of beer
3 cups chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 cups loosely packed grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 10 ounces)
2 cups of chopped tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes
sprinkling of ground black pepper to taste

In a sauce pan, bring the broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.

Meanwhile in a large, heavy saucepan on medium high heat warm the olive oil. Add the rice and stir until well coated with oil. Add the beer and stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid, a couple of minutes. Ladle in the simmering broth a cup at a time, stirring often. Let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding the next cup, usually about 5 minutes between additions.

While the risotto is cooking, steam the broccoli until bright green and just tender. Set aside.

When the last of the broth is absorbed, the kernels should be al dente and the risotto moist. (I almost never use the full amount of broth in any risotto recipe. I usually cut the liquid back by 1/3-1/2 and taste after each ladleful is absorbed. I stop adding liquid when the rice is done.)

Add the mustard and cheese to the risotto and stir until the cheese is melted. Stir in the broccoli and tomatoes, season with black pepper and serve.

I talked about this recipe HERE.