Nitko’s Veal Risotto

nitko's Note:

This is one of my ways of making risottos. This one has more Dalmatian approach with herbs and olive oil and tomatoes. North Croatian way would be with Hungarian paprika and other herbs and spices. You cal also use beef, horse or pork meat.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 2

Yield: 2.0 portions

• 300 g veal (muscles for paprikas, II class meat)
• 100 g onions
• 1 garlic clove
• 300 g rice (Arborio)
• 200 g plum tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup wine (white, dry)
• 7 g salt
• 5 g pepper
• ½ teaspoon basil (dry)
• ½ teaspoon marjoram (dry)
• 1 teaspoon oregano (dry)
• 100 g parmesan cheese (grated)

Directions:

1. Cut veal muscles into small pieces (as for paprikas).
2. Mince onion very finely. (If you use fresh plum tomato first soak them 2-4 minutes in hot water, remove skin and “shave the best red part from it”, remove seeds and cut into small pieces. If you use canned tomato, skip this part.).
3. Sauté onion on olive oil until translucent, add meat and sauté 5-7 minutes. Add wine and sauté until alcohol evaporates (2 min.).
4. Add finely minced garlic and tomato. Season with some of basil, marjoram and oregano (the rest add at the end). Season with salt and pepper. Stir well and cook about 20 minutes or until all liquid evaporates.
5. Add rice and water as manufacturer suggests (Remember that you may have some water already in the pot, so count this water out). Cook until rice is done (20 min.).
6. Before end you may add some of basil, oregano and marjoram if you did not put all at the beginning. Serve hot with grated parmesan.