It seems as though I have been getting drowned out by Carlene’s post overdose lately, which of course, I have no problem with. More posts the merrier, right? Well I am now unemployed and loving it…Don’t worry, I didn’t get fired. So being that I am unemployed I have a great deal more time on my hands, meaning more cooking!
Upon arriving home one day I was greeted by a bag full of beets, what a nice surprise.
I think?
I have never cooked beets myself, although I make them all the time (inside joke), so I was curious to try something unique with them. After searching Tastespotting I came across this fantastic looking Beetroot Risotto and knew I had to try it for myself. Having only cooked risotto once, I was anxious to cook some more, since I now had a better idea of how it cooks.
I based my recipe off of this Beetroot Risotto and made a few changes to suit the ingredients I had on hand and made it a little smaller, but it could still serve two people.
Beetroot Risotto
- ¾ Cup of Arborio rice
- 600 ml Beef broth
- 1 Medium size diced onion
- ½ Tsp Minced garlic
- 2 Medium sized beets
- 1 Tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- Feta Cheese
- Salt & Pepper
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Before you start cooking the risotto, preheat your oven to 400°F, slice up the beets, put them on a pan, drizzle with some vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and cook for about 25 minutes until tender.
While the beets are cooking, start the risotto by frying the onion with a tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat until they become translucent, then mix the garlic in and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Once this is done, add your arborio rice, mixing into the oil and onions until the grains are lightly coated, then begin pouring your broth in a ½ cup at a time, continually adding more broth as the rice absorbs it, until reaching desired tenderness.
Once your beets are done cooking, put one of the beets in a food processor with the balsamic vinegar, puree and mix the puree into your risotto. Continue to mix it into your risotto until everything turns a beautiful magenta colour! Plate it, serving with feta cheese on top and a couple of beets slices on the side.
If you are looking to impress, this is certainly the recipe to do so. Not only is it delicious, but the colour makes it look truly amazing.
Enjoy,
Bob
I would try pairing it with red meat, perhaps a nice roast or steak.
Looks beautiful! I’d love to try it! What could I pair it with?
It looks like brains….
Carlene