Beetroot Risotto Recipe

Beetroot Risotto

Recipe by Jackie Cameron

You have heard of risotto but have you ever cooked a moist, creamy, textured portion? A quaint description of this short grain rice in the Larousse Gastronomique says: “Each grain should retain its separate identity with a little bite.” This is a food many are anxious about cooking but once perfected it can be used as a main component, a starch helping, a filling for squid tubes and also a dessert – the options are endless. Up next is a vegetarian delight. My home-grown beetroot risotto with toasted walnuts, beetroot sprouts, wild figs and creamy Gorgonzola. Tempting flavours! Even carnivorous South African males agree...

Yields : 4-6 Large Portions

Ingredients : 4

Basic Risotto

20 g Butter

75 ml Olive Oil

1 Onion – chopped

2 large Garlic Cloves – chopped

500 g Risotto Rice

250ml White Wine (chef’s note: I used a rosé wine as that is what was in my fridge)

225 g cooked Beetroot

1 l Water or 1 l Vegetable Stock

Optional Extras :

20 g Beetroot Sprouts (Supplier: Parklane SuperSpar)

Gorgonzola for flavour

Fresh Fig (Supplier: Woolworths- Pietermaritzburg)

40 g Walnuts

Method :

1) Liquidize 125 g of the beetroot with 1 litre water or 1 litre good quality vegetable stock. Put into a pot and allow to come to the boil.

1) Get a heavy based pot hot. Add butter and olive oil. Then add onion and garlic and sauté well.

2) Add rice and stir to allow each grain to be coating with the oil.

3) Add the wine and stir

4) Once the wine has been completely absorbed start adding the hot beetroot liquid. Add one ladle at a time stirring continuously so the grains are evenly cooked. (Chef’s note: the liquid amount is only a guide line)

5) At this stage you could always cook it fully or ¾ of the way and then complete cooking on service by reheating and adding the last of the hot liquid. Either way is fine but must result in a slightly textured, creamy risotto. Not stodgy or dense.

6) Serve with the leftover (brunoise: finely chop) beetroot, beetroot sprouts, crumbled Gorgonzola and a fresh fig sliced in half.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Jackie Cameron
Head Chef
Hartford House
www.hartford.co.za
jackie@hartford.co.za
+27 33 263 2713