Roasted Tomato & Feta Risotto (Serves a family of 4)
Prep Time:15 mins, Cook Time: 30 mins, Total Time: 45 mins
July 9, 2013
This was actually a fabulously tasty dinner borne out a random fridge emptying operation!. You know those times when there doesn’t appear to be anything too interesting and you rustle up what there is anyway, and hope for the best. And actually it was really rather good and has since been made a couple of times, and not just when I’m in fridge clearing mode! What’s more the kids ate it, Jacques in the main because it contained an ample amount of his beloved olives (especially taking into account his sister’s discarded ones), and Francesca who claims to not like tomatoes happily ate these sweet roasted ones. Result. And us big people loved it too, so a perfect family dinner all in all.
To be fair I probably wouldn’t be feeding this risotto to an Italian or Risotto Aficionado. I mean feta in a risotto?. It’s all a bit wrong really. But hey this Greek/Italian fusion worked for my lot and interestingly, while I was stirring away, as you do with a risotto, I couldn’t help but think it all looked a bit like a hot greek salad. And besides, since it has no cow’s dairy but sheep’s milk Feta it’s something I can happily give to Jacques who appears to be dairy intolerant. It’s certainly one of my healthier risottos and a fab way of getting lots of the good stuff into little (and big) tums!
Simply oven roasted cherry tomatoes (with fresh thyme if you have any), roasting while you make the risotto. Then stirred into a super-healthy risotto of red pepper, courgette, olives (black or green) and blasphemous Feta cheese. De. Lish. Ous.
Since there’s fresh thyme involved I’m entering this post
to Karen of Lavender & Lovage Cooking with Herbs challenge. Also as it was a genuine fridge-clearing concoction to Credit Crunch Munch, hosted by Fab Food 4 All and Fuss Free Flavours and this month by Sian at Fishfingers for Tea. To to Javelin Warrior‘s Made with Love Monday’s event, as this is a made from scratch meal. And finally as tommies are now in season to Ren Behan’s Simple and in Season challenge. Phew that’s quite a few entries!
Cherry Tomatoes, Olives, Courgettes, Red Peppers, Thyme
Great For:
Toddlers & Pre-schoolers, Bigger Kids, Grown Ups, Family Dinners, Mid-Week Suppers, Risotto Fans, Vegetarians. Not for Risotto Aficionados!
Notes:
Serves: A Family of Four
Special Equipment:
A large heavy-based saucepan
Roasted Tomato & Feta Risotto (Serves a family of 4)
Ingredients Prep Time:15 mins, Cook Time: 30 mins, Total Time: 45 mins
450g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper
a few sprigs fresh thyme. leaves removed
small onion, finely diced
1 small red pepper, cut into fine strips
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
220g arborio risotto rice
large glass white wine
700ml hot vegetable stock, I use Marigold
1 small courgette, diced
60g green or black pitted olives, halved, optional
120g Feta cheese, crumbled
1. Preheat your oven to 200ºC
2. Place the halved cherry tomatoes cut side up on a large roasted tin. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, black pepper and the thyme leaves. Finally drizzle over 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place in the hot oven for 25 minutes.
3. Whilst the tomatoes are roasting, prep the risotto. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy based saucepan on a gentle heat. Sweat the onion and red pepper strips for 10 minutes with the lid on, stirring every now and again and adding a splash of water if the veggies look a little dry and are sticking.
4. Stir in the garlic and allow to cook for a moment or two before stirring in the risotto rice, ensuring the grains get a good coating of the oil. Poor in the wine and stir.
5. Allow to simmer (uncovered) on a gentle heat until most of the wine has evaporated/absorbed then stir in a ladleful of the hot stock together with the diced courgette and olives (if using). Continue to stir at regular intervals adding further ladlefuls of stock every time the last one’s almost absorbed.
6. When the rice is tender stir in the roasted tomatoes, together with any juices from the tray, and the crumbled feta. Place the lid back on the pan and allow the flavours to rest and mingle for a couple of minutes.
7. Taste and season to suit. No added salt for littlies. Serve as is or with a sprinkling of grated fresh Parmesan.
I’m going to do this as well, love the big green olive….yum. Thank you! John
Thanks John, though I wouldn’t tell any of your Italian neighbours about it!
Oh, who cares what they say good food is good food, I don’t follow rules LOL
Looks delicious Louisa! I meant to say that after reading your post about Jacques dairy intolerance, I switched my son to goat’s milk - the constant cold that he’d had for about 2 years has now disappeared. So thank you for the information and ideas.
Hi Sarah, just found your original comment - it was in my spam box along with lots of others! Annoying. How amazing your son’s cold has gone away too! Whenever Jacques had a cold it would literally last for months (especially at night), and I totally blame it on the ridiculous amount of yoghurt he used to eat before going to bed. I haven’t actually cut out all cows milk but I’m very careful about restricting it as the day goes on, and I have cut it out totally if he’s had a cold….and used goats milk for everything. Seems to be working marvelously for him!
Looks delicious, love the combination with roasted tomato! xx
Roasted Tomatoes Rock! Really elevate a humble tomato.
Looks absolutely deeeelish!
And absolutely healthy too!
Anything with feta and tomatoes is good in my books, I really love this recipe. The risotto sounds delicious and got the kids seal of approval, that say’s a lot!
It’s pretty good, even if I say so myself! Always good to have something really tasty that the kids like too up my sleeve
A bowl of herbal fabulousness! Thanks for this lovely seasonal entry into Cooking with Herbs, as always, such lovely photos too! Karen
Thanks Karen, though I thought the photos were pretty dreadful, but I ALWAYS think that!
This looks so delicious and tasty.
Thanks Nayna!
Looks lovely Louisa, I’m all for food blasphemy if it’s delicious.
Ha ha, thanks Andrea!
I love your Greek spin on Italian risotto! And I really love dishes that originate this way, from a healthy clean-out of everything leftover in the fridge
It’s always surprising what creative things arise and often so tasty!
Thanks Mark. I reckon some of my best dishes come out of the creativity of fridge-clearing exercises!
I left a comment the other day, but it seems to have got itself lost on the way across to you. Can’t quite remember the exact wording - something along the lines of I’ll be making this very soon… looks delicious!
Thanks Sarah, so annoying when comments go missing isn’t it!. It’s definitely one of our favourites at the moment!
I love risotto, not tried using Feta yet, so may have to give that a go! I can’t get my (nearly) 3 year old to eat more than 2 mouthfuls of risotto yet though! I’m with Jacques, love olives in anything
Lovely to meet you at FBC at the weekend.
Thanks Cari, lovely to meet you too. I think the first risotto I could get my kids to eat was a creamy butternut and cream cheese one. Luckily mine are now rice fiends so it usually goes down well, apart from mushrooms risottos that sadly seem to be a no go!.
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Thank you for all your lovely entries into Simple and in Season. I’m taking a break until September so I will be sure to direct people to your new blog event if they ask! Ren x
Have a lovely break, and thanks for directing people over!
Looks great Lou! I love a tomato risotto especially when the potager is at full production! I like the idea of pairing it with feta and olives too. Sounds really good. x
Thanks Anneli, definitely a good one if you grow your own tommies as it does use quite a few!
This sounds like a really great combination, even if it is a bit unorthodox!
Greeks and Romans - did they ever get on…until now?! Looks delicious. Good to connect at FBC
Ha ha, ’tis true. Thanks Sally! Lovely to meet you too at FBC.
IMHO, risotto is a great way to use up leftover bits lurking in the fridge - including feta…. I often have a bit of it left - and I love it in risotto. Looks delicious.
Thanks Kate!