Recipe

Oven Roasted Tomatoes With Mushroom Risotto And Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Ingredients

8 large ripe Creole or beefsteak tomatoes, peeled and pulp removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Essence to taste
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped yellow onions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 cups Chicken Stock or
canned chicken broth
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 pound (2 cups) Arborio rice
1/3 pound assorted exotic mushrooms, such as shiitakes, chanterelles, and oysters, wiped clean and chopped (about 2 cups)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 slices
Veal Reduction
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400?F.
Rub the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with Essence. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large sautÈ pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until the onions are slightly soft, about 3 minutes. Add the stock and garlic, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 6 minutes. Add the rice and simmer for 10 minutes, stirringconstantly. Add the mushrooms and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the mixture is creamy and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Stir in the butter and heavy cream, and simmer until creamy, 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon the risotto into the center of each tomato, top each with a slice of mozzarella cheese, and bake until the cheese melts and browns a bit. Remove from the oven and place each tomato on a serving plate. Drizzle each with 2 tablespoons of the veal reduction and garnish with the basil.