Beetroot Risotto
60 mins
Serves 4-6
"This makes a pretty pink risotto and is a great one-pot meal for a weeknight when time is tight. It is definitely one of my ‘go to’ meals and is super versatile flavor-wise. Grating the beetroot and pumpkin makes them melt into the dish while cooking and the pumpkin gives a lovely creamy quality to the risotto. Constant stirring is the key to achieving a really creamy risotto also, as it releases the starch from the rice."
Our thanks to Anna Valentine for sharing this recipe! Click here for more delicious recipes.
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Ingredients
Refer to next section for ingredients.
Directions
1. Gather your ingredients. Prepare the following vegetables:
- 2 shallots or 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 stick celery,
- 1 small stick fresh rosemary, leaves roughly chopped
- ¼ pumpkin, skin and seeds removed, grated
- 2 beetroot, scrubbed and grated
- ¼ cup olives, pitted
2. Put a large pot on the heat and add:
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (or ¼ c for dairy-free version)
- 2 Tbs butter
3. Melt the butter. Add the prepared shallot, garlic, celery and rosemary. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add:
- 1½ cup (300g) risotto rice (arborio)
4. Continue to fry until the grains are coated and toasted. Add:
- 100ml Marsala or sweet white wine or lemon juice with a pinch of sugar
5. Stir through, then add the grated pumpkin and beetroot. Next make some stock:
- 1.2L hot water, whey or liquid vegetable stock (omit powder if using)
- 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
6. In another pot, stir the bouillon into the hot water or whey to make stock. Add the stock to the rice half a cup at a time, constantly stirring. Add the pitted olives towards the end of cooking.
7. Test your rice is done; it should be just cooked with a little bite. Add the chopped celery leaves and:
- ½ cup tasty cheese or vegan alternative, grated
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese or a plant-based alternative, grated (save some for serving)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp cracked black pepper
7. Stir through and serve with a beetroot tops and rocket salad drizzled with balsamic reduction, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
