Risotto with tomato confit and tomato parchment

For the confit, preheat the oven to 100ºC.

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. With a sharp paring knife, cut out and discard the stem end of each tomato, and score the opposite end. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave until the skin can be easily peeled, about 1 minute. Refresh in a bowl of iced water.

Peel the tomatoes when cool enough to handle and reserve the skins. Halve the tomatoes lengthways and place, cut-side up, in a small, deep ovenproof dish. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Roast for about 5 – 6 hours. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Transfer to a storage container and pour oil from the baking sheet over the top. Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

For the tomato parchment, flatten the reserved tomato skins on a tray lined with baking paper. Season with salt. Allow to dry out overnight.

For the risotto, pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil over a high heat, then reduce the heat so that the stock barely simmers.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Sauté the onion until translucent but not brown, for 5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium, add the rice and stir, using a wooden spoon, until each grain is coated with the butter and heated through.

Add the wine and let it reduce and evaporate. Add the warm stock, a ladleful at a time. Allow the stock to be almost absorbed before adding the next ladleful. Stir continually.

Start testing the risotto after about 15 minutes. The rice is ready when it is plump and tender, but the centre still has a slight firmness to the bite.

Take the pan off the heat and let the risotto rest for 2 minutes. Quickly add the cold butter and Parmesan. Season to taste.

Serve with the tomato confit and tomato parchment as garnish.