Radicchio con Risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 medium potato, roughly chopped
  1 carrot, roughly chopped
  1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
  1 medium zucchini, roughly chopped
  1 tomato, roughly chopped
  ½ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  2 quarts water
  1 medium onion, diced
  1 ¼ cups white rice, Arborio preferred
  ½ cup white wine
  1 bunch radicchio, washed and cut into strips
  ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, optional  

Directions

• Prepare the risotto broth by placing the chopped potato, carrot, celery, zucchini, and tomato in a large pot with ¼ cup olive oil and 2 quarts of water. Boil the broth for 1 hour.
• While the broth is boiling, sauté the diced onion in the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil in a large skillet over low heat.
• When the onion is translucent, add the rice, stir together, and continue to sauté for several minutes.
• Add the white wine to the rice mixture and continue to cook until most of the wine evaporates. Add the sliced radicchio and stir it in with the rice.
  
• Slowly add the hot broth to the rice mixture one cup at a time; continue to stir after each addition of broth. 
  
• Continue to cook the rice mixture until most of the broth is absorbed and it is al dente, about 15-18 minutes.
  
• Serve risotto with Parmesan cheese if desired.