Tomato Risotto

This has fast become Manou's favorite. I made it for family last night adding a couple of extra touches including topping off the rissoto with some confit cherry tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella on the side.  Fast becoming one of my favorites too! This recipe is good for 5-6 people.

1.5-2 cups arborio (or other quality risotto rice)
2-3 young garlic cloves, minced
1 white onion, minced
1 cup white wine
4-5 cups heated best vegetable stock you can make or buy
1 cup good quality Italian tomato passata
2-3 tblsp butter
1 cup parmesan
fresh basil
EVOO
maldon sea salt, ground black pepper
best quality cherry tomatoes, different colors of possible
buffalo mozzarella

1. slice cherry tomatoes in two, toss in a little EVOO, salt & pepper and minced garlic, place in a small dish in the oven and cook at 120 for 1-2 hours or 150 for 1 hour.
2. saute garlic and onions in EVOO and season, do not let brown
3. when translucent and soft, add rice
4. stir rice, allow it to toast ever so slightly but make sure it does not stick to pan
5. turn heat up, add wine and allow to evaporate before adding stock
6. keep adding stock slowly as rice cooks
7. after about 8 minutes cooking, add half of the passata
8. keep stirring as passata will stick
9. when rice is to your liking and to ensure smoothness, add a bit more stock, remaining butter and parmesan, torn basil leaves (additional broth needed to absorb the parmesan, or else the risotto becomes too stiff), do a quick stir and put a lid on the risotto for about 1-2 minutes
10. serve with confit tomatoes on top, some grated parmesan, extra drizzle of EVOO and mozzarella on the side

Tonight's Dinner

Our second proper dinner party in our new home. This time with our neighbors Jean, his visiting sister and Christophe, as well as Maki and her boyfriend. Six hours around the table suggests that it was a fine meal with good conversation.

• tarama tacos with mooli
• speck, prune and candied walnut
• beet tartare on chips
• crudites of carottes rapees, celeri remoulade, concombre yoghurt curry
• foie gras & pain viennois, dates
• shitake & chestnut veloute
• saucisses & lentils, salsa verde
• French cheese, selection Jean & Christophe
• Japanese strawberries

Archies' Avo on Toast

Seemed like Melbourne was going crazy about Avocado on toast. We had a truly spectacular one at Archie's every morning. Now that is a breakfast place.  The deal clincher on this one is the sumac and dukkah.

toasted peasant bread (or corn/rice cake for me)

best ripe avocado

best EVOO

squeeze of lemon

sumac

home-made dukkah (easy!)

maldon sea salt

torn mint leaves to taste

torn parsley

feta cheese cubes (we go for cow feta)

home-made chilli sauce (preferably using a couple of different rehydrated dried Mexican chillies)

1. toast your bread, preferably over grill
2. place toast on plate, plump avocado chunks haphazardly on the toast
3. dress with lemon, salt, EVOO
4. sprinkle generously with sumac and dukkak, then herbs and finally with feta to taste

Gildas via Builders Arms

The most memorable taste bomb from Melbourne, from the Builder's Arms on Gertrude Street. Here, the usual anchovy, olive and guindilla are spared the toothpick and rest gently on a toast.

sourdough, sliced into thin diagnols
best quality anchovies
guindillas (pickled green chillies)
home-made aioli

Tapenade
120 gr pitted green olives
1/4 clove garlic
70 gr blanched, toasted almonds
5 gr preserved lemon
50 g parsley, chopped
100 ml EVOO

1. put all the tapenade ingredients in a blender, slowly adding EVOO
2. brush baguette slices with EVOO and grill lightly on each side
3. spread tapenade on each slice of grilled bread
4. top each with anchovy swirled around a chilli
5. spoon aioli on toast after platter is brought to the table

Tonight's Dinner

The Slawson's deserved this delightful little dinner for making the effort to come and visit the Richters! Was thinking of making smoked haddock on polenta with pesto, but too much.

• Speck & robiolo, dates & walnut
• Pan carasau, mozzarella, salted anchovy, lemon zest
• Grilled octopus & pesto
• Leek vinaigrette David
• Nduja & crab tagliolini
• Braised oxtail and pan-fried scallop, reduced balsamic
• Mixed greens, toasted hazelnuts & parmesan
• Compte, tangerine mostarda
• almond cookies

Venice Observations

Staying at Venissa in Mazzorbo made our trip to Venice "in August" a lot more bearable.  Toby, thanks for some of these suggestions, all good!

• Gatto Nero (Burano): famous for its seafood risotto, it does not disappoint. Lovely service and local crowd in the evening, far from the tourist crazies.
• Cipriani (Torcello): the vegetable risotto here was divine, a fine and civilized setting indeed, especially if you're able to arrive at the doorstep by vaporetto.
• Trattoria Antiche Carampane (San Polo): everyone loves this place, rightly so.
• Osteria alle Testiere (Castello): foodie hang out, ie calamari and cardoons...
• Vini di Arturo (San Marco) Calle Degli Assassini

Tonight's Dinner

A lovely dinner with visiting Virginie. My Morito cookbook is getting a lot of my love lately. Virginie brought a sensational Amarone-like Rioja from Vina Tondonia.

• toothpick: olive, anchovy, pickled green chile, sweet picked onion
• pan carasau, robiola and nduja sandwich 
• beetroot borani , dill & feta
• grape compote and yoghurt