Recipe: Artichoke-Tomato Microwave Risotto

Artichoke-Tomato Microwave Risotto
rec.food.recipes/Jessica Litman/1995

6 baby artichokes (or 2 standard artichokes or 1 very large artichoke)
2 1/2 cups tomato water (strained fresh tomato juice)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp lemon-flavored olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped fine
5 cloves garlic, sliced paper thin (or chopped)
1 cup arborio rice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese

(To prepare tomato water: pulverize 5 or 6 tomatoes in a food processor or juicer, and strain overnight through triple thicknesses of cheesecloth. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth into a bag and squeeze gently to get as much as you can of the clear tomato juice with as little as possible of the solid red ooze. Stop when the solid red ooze starts coming through the cheesecloth. Measure the tomato water. Depending on your tomatoes, you may have more or less than 2 1/2 cup. Use enough chicken broth to make 3 1/2 cups liquid total.)

Squeeze the lemon half into a bowl of cold water.

Prepare the artichokes: break off the tough outer leaves, trim off the top third of the artichoke and the dark green part of the rest. Quarter the artichokes and remove the chokes. Slice the quartered artichokes very thinly. Put the sliced artichokes into the bowl of lemon water until ready to use.

In a 10-inch (or larger) deep-dish pie plate, microwave the oil with the butter, at full power for 2 minutes, until the butter is melted and bubbly. Stir in the onion, and microwave (uncovered) on high for another two minutes. Drain the sliced artichokes and add them, with the garlic, to the dish, and microwave (uncovered) on high for 2 minutes. Stir in the rice, coating it with the mixture in the dish. Microwave, uncovered, for 2 more minutes. Check to make sure that the rice has turned white and opaque in the center of each grain and, if not, microwave for an additional thirty seconds. Stir in the broth and the tomato water. Microwave for 10 minutes, uncovered, on high. Stir well, and then microwave for an additional 10 minutes, uncovered, on high. Remove dish from microwave, stir in parsley, and let sit for 3 minutes. Add salt, pepper and the grated parmesan cheese, stir well, and serve.

Note: Tomato water is a chore to make, but a wonderful all-purpose liquid for poaching anything, making low-fat vinaigrettes, or substituting for any broths in soups, rice, salad, pasta or couscous recipes. In the summer when there are lots of ripe tomatoes, I make a couple of quarts each week and keep them in the frig. It will keep for close to a week, and freezes well.