- sea salt
- 6 large tomatoes, cut in half
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 450g/1lb Arborio or similar risotto rice
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- splash white wine
- 650ml/1 pint 3½fl oz hot vegetable stock
- 75ml/3fl oz double cream
- 400g/14oz baby spinach
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- parmesan shavings, to serve (vegetarians can substitute similar vegetarian hard cheese)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 12 slices vegetarian black pudding
- Preheat the oven to 140C/285F/Gas 1.
- For the roasted tomatoes, cover a baking tray with sea salt.
- Place the tomatoes, cut-side up, onto the tray of salt and place into the oven for three hours, or until the tomatoes are completely dried out.
- For the risotto, heat the oil in a deep frying pan and add the onions. Fry the onions until softened but not browned.
- Add the rice, thyme and wine and stir well. When the wine has been absorbed by the rice, add a ladleful of stock and stir constantly until almost all the stock has been absorbed.
- Add another ladleful of stock and repeat the process of stirring and adding stock until the rice is completely cooked through, but still with a bit of 'bite'.
- Add the cream and the spinach and stir well, seasoning, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- For the black pudding, heat the oil in a clean frying pan over a medium heat. Add the black pudding and fry, turning once, until crisp on both sides and completely cooked through.
- To serve, place a generous portion of the risotto into each bowl. Top each bowl of risotto with two roasted tomato halves and three slices of black pudding and garnish with fresh parmesan shavings.