Tomato Leaf Risotto
Tomato Leaf Pesto, Pickled Tomatoes, Pickled Celery, Arugula, Pecorino Romano, Olive Oil
Chefs Sarah Heard and Nathan Lemley of Foreign & Domestic | Austin, TX
Adapted by StarChefs | november 2023
INGREDIENTS
Pickled Tomatoes and Celery:
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 stick celery, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
½ cup sugar
1½ cups white vinegar
Tomato Leaf Pesto:
146 grams toasted hazelnuts
140 grams garlic
7 lemons, juiced and zested
4 cups packed tomato leaves
2 cups packed arugula leaves
4 cups grated Pecorino Romano
108 grams olive oil
Tomato Leaf Risotto:
1 cup arborio rice
¼ cup neutral oil
Salt
1 cup white wine
1 cup whey
1 cup vegetable stock
½ cup butter
Ground black pepper
To Assemble and Serve:
Tomato leaves
Arugula
Grated Pecorino Romano
Salt
Ground black pepper
Olive oil
METHOD
For the Pickled Tomatoes and Celery:
Heat oven to 350°F. Place tomatoes on a sheet tray and roast until tomatoes have blistered. Let cool slightly, then peel. Transfer peeled tomatoes to a nonreactive container and set aside. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring celery, salt, sugar, vinegar, and 1 cup cold water to a simmer. Pour mixture over peeled tomatoes. Cover and let pickle at room temperature.
For the Tomato Leaf Pesto:
In a food processor, combine hazelnuts, garlic, lemon juice and zest, tomato leaves, arugula leaves, and cheese. With the machine running, slowly stream in oil. Pulse mixture until a thick paste is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Tomato Leaf Risotto:
In a saucepan over medium heat, toast rice in oil, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt and ½ cup wine. Cook until au sec. Add remaining wine and continue cooking until au sec. Add ½ cup whey and cook until au sec, then repeat the process with the remaining whey. Add in ½ cup stock and cook until au sec. Repeat the process with the remaining stock. Add a pinch of salt and remove risotto from heat. Stir in butter and ¼ cup Tomato Leaf Pesto until well incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a metal bowl, toss together tomato leaves, arugula, and 1 spoonful Pickled Tomatoes and Celery. Set aside. Spoon Tomato Leaf Risotto into a serving bowl. Top with arugula mixture. Finish with grated Pecorino Romano, salt, pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.
