Beetroot Risotto

Beetroot Risotto

Bored of boring old risotto? Liven it up with an amazing burst of colour and the pungent, earthy flavour of beetroot. Serves 4.

Ingredients:

Beetroot Purée
3 small to medium beetroot
olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.
2. Scrub beetroot thoroughly to get rid of any dirt. Top and tail each and place in a roasting dish. Drizzle with a little oil and roast until tender – around 45-60mins.
3. Allow to cool slightly, peel and place in a food processor. Drizzle in a little olive oil while processing until it forms a smooth purée. Season and set aside.

Risotto
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
250g Arborio rice
2 sprigs fresh thyme
150ml red wine
1 litre vegetable, heated and kept warm
250g parmasan, grated
50g butter

Method:
1. Sauté onion in a couple glugs of olive oil until softened. Add garlic and cook for a further couple of minutes.
2. Add rice and thyme and stir for a minute until the rice is sealed. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Once wine is absorbed add a ladleful of stock to the rice. Continue stirring until absorbed.
3. Continue doing this until rice is cooked al dente. Add parmesan cheese and butter and stir through. Rice should be slightly wet, but creamy and glossy.
4. Add beetroot purée a tablespoon at a time, to your tastes. It is a strong flavour so make sure you taste after each addition.