Creamy Risotto

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the shallot. If necessary, peel the garlic, then roughly chop. Grate the Pecorino cheese on the small side of a box grater. Cut off and discard the stems of the sweet peppers; remove and discard the cores, then medium dice. Depending on their size, quarter or halve the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces; place in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the chives. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs, and seeds of the jalapeño pepper; small dice. Thoroughly wash your hands immediately after handling. 

In a medium pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped shallot and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the rice; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until lightly browned. 

Add 3 ½ cups of water to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, 16 to 18 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone cheese, butter, and half the grated Pecorino cheese until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Once the risotto has cooked about 10 minutes, in a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the diced sweet peppers and as much of the diced jalapeño pepper as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the seasoned tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly softened. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the finished risotto topped with the cooked vegetables. Garnish with the sliced chives and remaining grated Pecorino cheese. Enjoy!