Eunice Power: How to make my simple and satisfying roast tomato risotto

All of my tomatoes ripened at once and leaving me with my hands full

Eunice Power's Roast tomato risottoi. Picture: Chani Anderson

My tomato crop had a very slow start this year, but it made up for lost time, all ripening at once and leaving me with my hands full.

In reality, the tomato season in Ireland is quite short, and when the tomatoes ripen, they tend to ripen all together, causing a glut.

I’ve been roasting trays of them and turning a good few of them into sauces for the freezer, to use during the winter — a taste of summer to look forward to when the cold sets in.

Last night, I put some to good use and made a risotto, and it turned out to be an absolute triumph, the kind of dish that got the seal of approval from the boys, which is no small thing.

I added some mozzarella to give the dish a little more weight, but it’s a really simple meal to make, and it’s just so satisfying and comforting.

Roast Tomato Risotto

recipe by:Eunice Power

I added some mozzarella to give the dish a little more weight, but it’s a really simple meal to make, and it’s just so satisfying and comforting.

Preparation Time

 30 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 50 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 8 plum tomatoes, halved lengthways

• 2 tsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for the risotto and 1 tbsp to drizzle

• 1 small onion finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 300g risotto rice

• 25g tomato purée

• 1.2 ltr hot vegetable stock

• 40g butter

• 60g Parmesan

• 2 balls mozzeralla

• Basil leaves

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160C fan/gas 4. Lay the tomatoes cut-side up in a single layer in an ovenproof dish. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and 2 tbsp olive oil. Spoon the mixture over the cut surface of the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

2. 2. Roast for about 20 minutes until slightly shrunk and caramelized. Remove and set aside. Keep 8 tomato halves back to use later; blitz the rest into a purée.

3. 3. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil and half the butter in heavy based saucepan, add the onion and garlic and cook gently for 5 minutes until soft.

4. 4. Stir in the rice and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.

5. 5. Pour in a ladleful of the stock. Stir until absorbed, then add another ladleful and continue to stir. Keep adding the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed all of it; it should be just cooked through but retain a bit of bite.

6. 6. Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the butter and half of the Parmesan. Fold in the roasted tomato purée.

7. 7. Spoon into warm bowls. Top each with a half ball of mozzrralla, torn off the reserved roasted tomato halves (I cut these in half again), the remaining Parmesan, a drizzle of olive oil and scatter over the basil leaves.

Sharing Steaks with Chimichurri

recipe by:Eunice Power

Côte de boeuf with chimichurri is a big favourite in this house. It's one of those weekend specials!

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 600g côte de boeuf sharing steaks (2 steaks for a family, or plan on 3 portions per steak if sharing with friends)

• Olive oil Salt and pepper

• 20g butter

• For the chimichurri 2 shallots, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar

• 1 bunch parsley

• 1 bunch mint

• 1 bunch coriander

• 2 spring onions

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 100ml olive oil

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• Maple syrup or honey, to taste (optional)

Method

1. 1. Take the steaks out of the fridge about an hour before cooking, to bring them up to room temperature.

2. 2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160C fan/gas 4.

3. 3. Rub the steaks with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

4. 4. Place on a hot pan and sear until gorgeous and caramelised on each side, about 2-3 minutes per side.

5. 5. Transfer to an ovenproof pan, top with a knob of the butter, and put into the oven for 12-15 minutes. This will give you a medium-rare steak.

6. 6. Take the steaks out and rest them, covered loosely with a little foil, for 15 minutes. Resting is really important as it allows the juices to redistribute through the meat, so it stays tender and doesn’t run out onto the board when you slice it.

7. 7. While the beef is resting, make the chimichurri.

8. 8. Finely chop the shallots and soak them in the sherry vinegar. Then finely chop the parsley, mint and coriander, along with the spring onions, chilli and garlic. Zest and juice the lemon and add all the ingredients to the shallot and vinegar mixture. Add the olive oil and stir gently, so the sauce stays bright. Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding a small dash of maple syrup or honey if you feel it needs it.

9. 9. Slice the beef thinly on a wooden board and serve with the chimichurri.

10. 10. Serve with new potatoes and a big green salad.

I’ve used sharing steaks here, which are readily available in supermarkets. When I say sharing, though, it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, because I’ve seen one of my boys eating a whole steak on his own.

But if I were cooking it for friends, I’d probably split one between three of us.

For me, though, the chimichurri is the absolute star of the show. It’s so fresh and bright – the perfect foil to the richness of the beef.