Roasted Beet Risotto

Recipe from The American Club.

Ingredients for the Beets:

2 lbs baby beets, red and candy striped

3 oz. vegetable oil

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Ingredients for the Risotto:

2 quarts chicken stock

4 oz. butter

1 medium onion, small diced

1 package Arborio rice

4 oz. white wine

2 oz. mascarpone cheese

2 oz. heavy cream

Directions:

For the Beets:

Rinse off beets and trim off tops and excess hair. Place in bowl with 2 oz vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Wrap beets in aluminum foil by the bunch and roast in oven for 45 minutes to an hour at 450 degrees. Check their doneness by stabbing with a fork or cake tester. The beets should be fork tender. Immediately remove from foil and using a paper towel, remove skin of beets. Slice the beets into quarters and reserve.

NOTE: there will be a little liquid retained at the bottom of the aluminum foil. Save that little amount of red liquid as it will add beautiful color to our risotto.

In a blender place half of the beets with ½ cup of chicken stock and puree until smooth. Reserve for finish of risotto.

For the Risotto;

In a large pot heat up remaining chicken stock.

In a large sauté pan, add butter, small diced onion, and some salt. Sweat onion until translucent, then kick up heat on pan and add rice. Saute the rice for 2 minutes and then add wine. Once you start to add liquid, you need to constantly stir the rice. Once wine is absorbed into rice, add 8 oz. of chicken stock and stir again. Repeat with liquid until the rice is ‘al dente.’ (Normally about 25 minutes and 2 quarts of stock) Finish rice with beet purée and mascarpone cheese, and heavy cream so you have a soft texture to the rice.

Top rice with beets and enjoy!

Serves 4.