Brilliant Beet Risotto (with variations)

You gotta try it. It's gorgeous stuff. And it's not just all about looks; it tastes great too. What could be better than the beautiful sweet flavor of beets (along with their nutrient-rich greens) in a slow-simmering pot of risotto?

Brilliant Beet Risotto
Originally inspired by (and adapted from) this recipe from Food & Wine

3-4 medium red beets (or the equivalent), cleaned, trimmed, and cut into chunks
beet greens (from said beets), cleaned and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 cups veggie, chicken, or beef stock (preferably homemade)
1 cup arborio rice
8 oz grated cheese (cheddar, parmesan, chevre or bleu cheese)
salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Add-ins: 1-2 tsp prepared horseradish, 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped fresh dill, and/or a dollop of sour cream

Place the beet in a food processor and pulse until fairly finely chopped. Remove beets to a bowl; add the beet greens to the processor and pulse until finely chopped. Mix beets and greens together with garlic.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the beets and beet greens and cook for 1 minute.

Add the broth 1 cup at a time to the rice mixture, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the liquid is nearly absorbed between additions, about 20 minutes.

Add your choice of cheese; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until the risotto is creamy and thick, approximately 3 minutes longer. Stir in any add-ins just before serving.

Great combinations:
Sharp cheddar cheese & a spoonful of horseradish
Bleu cheese & toasted pecans
Goat cheese & walnuts
Sour cream and fresh dill

Full post Over at Burp!

3 comments:

Miranda said...

Wow! I love risotto, but I never thought of using beets.

This looks great!

George Gaston said...

Lo... as someone who loves beets; this Risotto sounds like a winner. Please keep your creative mind coming up with these unbelievably delicious recipes!

rcakewalk said...

Just about to eat this for supper... It's fantastic!!! Will be sending lots of beet loving friends links to this one...