This jewel-coloured risotto with its classic flavour pairing of beetroot and goat's cheese is a perfect Autumnal treat.
Ingredients
2 large fresh beetroot
olive oil for roasting
4 shallots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
750ml chicken or vegetable stock
30g + 30g of butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
350g risotto rice
150ml white wine
Juice of ½ lemon
100g Parmesan, freshly grated
Salt and black pepper
50g fresh goat's cheese
40g toasted pine nuts
wild rocket leaves
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Remove the beetroot leaves (don't discard - they can be sautéed like spinach) and wash the beetroot. Rub the beets all over with olive oil and roast in the middle of the oven for about 90 minutes or until the beets are soft when pierced with a sharp knife. Allow the beets to cool, then peel, cube and purée in a food processor together with 50ml of the stock. Set aside.
Melt 30g of the butter together with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté until the shallots are translucent and soft but do not let them brown. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly stir so that each grain is well-coated with oil/butter. Add the white wine and keep stirring until the liquid has been absorbed almost completely.
Add the hot stock a ladleful at a time (probably about 150-200 ml per ladle). Keep stirring until each ladleful has been completely absorbed, but do not let the rice dry out and stick to the pot. Once each ladleful is absorbed, add the next until the stock has all been added. The rice should be soft but each grain should retain some bite in the centre, perfectly al dente, which should take about 20 minutes.
When the rice is done, stir the lemon juice and beetroot purée into the rice, followed by the Parmesan. Check for seasoning and add sat and pepper as needed. Stir in the final 30g of butter, cut into small cubes.
Serve in shallow bowls topped with crumbled goat's cheese, toasted pine nuts and wild rocket leaves.
Recipe by Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography at https://www.cooksister.com/2013/11/beetroot-risotto.html