We had the interesting Rarebit Risotto on Wednesday of last week. I used Abita Turbo Dog for the beer in the recipe - an excellent beer, by the way. I was worried about how this was going to turn out at first b/c my small tastes to check the "doneness" of the rice were very bitter tasting. However, by the end the flavors had come together and were much sweeter and richer. I used approximately 2 cups of cheddar, probably a bit less. I cannot imagine how you could cram four cups of cheese into this. It would end up as cheesy rice mush, I imagine. As it was, it still felt a bit decadent, but not too heavy. I liked the contrast of the sweet cherry tomatoes with the rich savory rice. All said, I'm still committed to classic risotto. I think that Dan really liked this though, so we may have it again someday. It certainly won't make the regular rotation. I cannot handle the caloric guilt, especially if it isn't earth-shatteringly good.
On the side we had a raw beet salad from a Mark Bittman recipe. It went well with the risotto and the sweet/tartness of the salad was a pleasant contrast the richness of the risotto. It is similar to the carrot salad we made previously, and is and excellent way to get your cancer fighting antioxidants!!