I read a recent recipe for risotto with garlic broth, also I had some left over wine, which led to the development of this recipe. Adding flavor to the broth really appealed to me- so I decided to do a spicy tomato garlic broth- something delicious enough to drink as a soup and then make a risotto with it. I added some fire roasted corn – I used frozen (it is November in the mid west) but feel free to grill some corn and remove the kernels or regular boiled corn kernels would work as well but wihtout the smoky flavor that goes so well with the spicy broth. This is a superlative fall dish, the flavors are well developed and harmonious- a dish worthy of a thanksgiving table.

Broth: 1 tbsp of oil, add 7-8 cloves of garlic till they barely start getting color, add 1 small can of tomatoes (14 oz) blitzed through the blender with 4 cups of vegetable stock (I used better than boullion vegetable base). Add 1 tsp of dried thyme and 1 tsp of red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and then simmer. Taste and adjust flavorings if needed- it should be delicious enough to drink as a brothy soup.

Risotto: Meanwhile- to 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter- add half a large onion (about 1 cup diced) and some salt and pepper- cook till golden – about 5-6 minutes. Add 1.5 cups of arborio rice unrinsed. Cook in the fat and onions for 2-3 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of white wine, cook for 2-3 minutes till the wine is mostly evaporated. Add ladlefuls of hot broth and stir every 5 mintues. You can add a lot of broth at once- the stirring is unfortunately non-negotiable (the rice sticks to the botton of your pan if you don’t stir) . After 20-25 minutes, you should have risotto. Add the corn and 1 tbsp of butter on top. Season with salt- the broths often have a fair bit of salt, so wait till the end. Add 1/2 cup of parmesan and stir.