Risotto With Tomato Consomme And Fresh Cheese

• 6 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 7 cups basic vegetable broth (see recipe)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 leek, white part only, rinsed well and minced
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 pound fresh mozzarella, diced
• 1 cup roughly chopped basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns

1. Put the chopped tomatoes, carrot and bell pepper into a blender, add the vegetable broth and puree until smooth.
2. Strain the broth into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or pot and simmer.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan at medium heat.
4. Add the leek and the garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the rice and stir.
6. Ladle in 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth and stir.
7. Increase the heat to medium-high and, for the next 25 minutes, continue adding the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. The rice should be tender but firm.
10. If not, add more vegetable broth until the rice is tender.
11. Remove the rice from the heat immediately.
12. Quickly stir in the mozzarella and the basil leaves.
13. Divide among 4 bowls and garnish with the cracked black pepper.

tomatoes, carrot, red bell pepper, vegetable broth, olive oil, only, clove garlic, arborio rice, salt, freshly ground pepper, mozzarella, basil, cracked black

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3691 (may not work)