Finally, last night I made Red Beet Risotto. Victory is mine! Alright that might be a little dramatic. But I have been waiting to make this recipe for two weeks!
First when I wanted to make this gorgeous dish, we didn’t have any beets. Then we didn’t have time or we needed to make something else. Well, last night was the night. And it was worth the wait.
This dish will definitely go down in food history as one of my favorite dishes.
If you have ever made risotto you know it can be a little time consuming but it is so good, that is it worth it. This recipe was no different. Using my new found obsession with the super food beets, I went googling and found this recipe from NY Times Fitness and Nutrition Section for Risotto with Beet Greens and Roasted Beets.
I followed the recipe pretty closely, except since I didn't have any beet greens, I used wilted spinach instead, added rosemary, and for more color I topped the dish with yellow cherry tomatoes. Otherwise, this is a very close follow of the recipe.
Roasted Red Beet Risotto: 5-6 dinner servings
Ingredients:
3/4 pound beets (1 bunch small), roasted, chopped small, and roast for only 30 minutes at 400 degrees
1 bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed (I used wilted spinach instead)
6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnarolli rice
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 cup red wine
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. dried or fresh rosemary
1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (I didn’t have this)
1 cup cut yellow cherry tomatoes
Directions:
When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another half cup of stock, the Parmesan and the parsley. Remove from the heat. The rice should be creamy; if it isn’t, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.
Top with Yellow Cherry tomatoes and more grated parmesan.
Directions:
Peel and cut Beets, follow Roasted beets instructions. Cook in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low. Stack the stemmed, washed greens and cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips. (This is for beet greens. If you use spinach, wilt in a saucepan with butter and salt)
Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.
Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 10 minutes.
Stir in the greens and the diced beets, and continue adding more stock, enough to barely cover the rice, and stirring often, for another 10 to 15 minutes. Taste a bit of the rice. Is it cooked through? It should taste chewy but not hard in the middle. Definitely not soft like steamed rice. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Now is the time to ascertain if there is enough salt. Add if necessary.
When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another half cup of stock, the Parmesan and the parsley. Remove from the heat. The rice should be creamy; if it isn’t, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.
Top with Yellow Cherry tomatoes and more grated parmesan.
Advance preparation: The roasted beets will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. You can get ahead on the risotto, cooking it just through Step 3, then spreading the rice out in the pan or on a baking sheet. Reheat and proceed with Step 4 shortly before serving.
I love healthy, filling, and satisfying meals such as this one. It would a great pick for families who want their kids to eat healthier, just add a little more cheese!
I love healthy, filling, and satisfying meals such as this one. It would a great pick for families who want their kids to eat healthier, just add a little more cheese!
This was so amazing! For dessert, we ate more risotto, it was that good. It had a nice sweet-savory flavor that pretty much every one will like. This also makes great leftovers, just make sure you have enough for the next day.
I will definitely remember this one for future dinners.
Enjoy!
Love,
The College Cuisiner
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