baby tomato & spinach risotto

that's it. it's over. no more tomatoes.

actually, i should have said that about three weeks ago when i finally gave up and pulled up my tomato plants, chock full of green tomatoes. what a waste. i don't know about you, but i didn't have very good luck this year. sure, i had a good crop earlier in the summer, but it seems like the majority of them came just in time for the cold. stinks. especially after last year - the first year in our house and thus the first year with a garden - when something ate my tomato plants down to 6 inch stubs. needless to say, i haven't had the best luck with tomatoes.

this meal was the celebration of the end. end of tomatoes. end of the summer. there's no better way to usher in the cold than with a nice warm bowl of pasta.

baby tomato & spinach risotto
45 minutes, serves 2-4

2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup dry sherry
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 cup finely diced baby cherry tomatoes
2 cups loosely packed spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup diced fontina cheese
1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
olive oil, salt & pepper

1. heat a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium low heat. add 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil to the pan and add the onion and garlic. saute until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. in a separate saucepan, heat the vegetable stock to a simmer.
3. when the onion and garlic are translucent, add the rice, and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. add the sherry and cook until the sherry is mostly absorbed.
4. add about a half cup of vegetable stock and cook until absorbed, about 4 minutes. continue adding the stock and cooking until absorbed, until about half the stock has been used.
5. add the tomatoes to the rice and continue adding stock, until about a cup remains.
6. add the spinach and continue adding stock until it is all absorbed.
7. stir in 1 tablespoon butter, the cheeses, and season with salt & pepper. mix to melt the fontina and parmesan. serve with crusty bread.