I’ve got to admit, when I came
across the idea of a beetroot risotto, I wasn’t sure, but actually it’s rather
fabulous. Although the dish is as rich & creamy as you'd expect a risotto
to be, the fresh, almost cut-grass flavour of the beetroot really lightens it
up. I've added a pinch of fresh mint, since beetroot and mint make perfect
partners, and a sprinkling of feta cheese to finish it off.
Ingredients
3 fresh beetroot
1 onion
2 sticks of celery
2 fat garlic cloves
A glass of white wine
Butter
Olive oil
200g risotto rice
2 pints of vegetable stock
A small handful of fresh mint
Feta cheese, to serve
Serves 2
Start by peeling and finely
chopping the onions, garlic and celery. Melt a generous scoop of butter in a
saucepan, and then add the vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil. Allow to
sizzle gently until the vegetables are nicely softened, but keep an eye on
them, as you don't want them to start colouring. Next, add the rice and stir
through, allowing it to fry for a minute or so, then turn up the heat and pour
in the wine. Keep the rice moving as the liquid cooks down, then start adding
the stock a bit at a time, stirring regularly and allowing it all to be
absorbed before adding any more.
Once the rice is almost cooked,
prepare the beetroot. Peel and grate it - I used the grater attachment in my
food processor to stop it all getting too messy, but you could do it with an
ordinary cheese grater. You'll just need to give your hands a good scrub
afterwards! Add the grated beetroot and the liquid to the pan and stir through
until the risotto is a uniform deep pink throughout. Keep adding stock (or hot
water, if you run out) until the rice is perfectly cooked. To serve, crumble
fresh feta over the top & sprinkle with fresh mint leaves.