Beetroot and Silverbeet Risotto Recipe

I'm very excited to be sharing this recipe with everyone. 

It wasn't my first attempt at making risotto but it's not something I make all the time as I'm not a big fan of white rice but I bought some lovely beetroots and the weather being so cold, I just felt like something warm and inviting.

This dish is quiet rich and earthy and I just love the bright colour - so good.

So here's my recipe, I hope you like it.

Beetroot and Silverbeet Risotto

Ingredients

1 Tbs coconut oil

1/2 cup arborio rice

1 clove of garlic crushed

1/8 cup brown onion diced

500 mls of vegetable stock (i break up a vegan stock cube in boiling water)

35 mls white wine

1/4 cup beetroot (i bake mine in foil first but you could use canned i suppose)

1 cup silverbeet finely sliced into ribbons

2 Tbs continental parsley, finely chopped

1 tbs finely grated lemon rind

2 Tbs lemon juice

Method

Heat vegetable stock if you are using liquid or if like me, boil some water, add stock and mix well and keep next to you so you can add as you go.

Heat oil is saucepan and add garlic, onion and rice.

Make sure rice is well coated and cook until onion is soft, garlic is fragrant and rice starts to make little popping sounds.  Be careful not to burn the garlic or else you'll get a bitter taste.

Add wine and stir to combine.

Once the wine has been absorbed, add a ladle of stock and stir.  Leave to be absorbed and don't add anymore until most of it has been absorbed.

Repeat the process but reserve the last ladle of stock.

Blend this with 1/2 the beetroot and add to your risotto.  

Chop up the other 1/2 of beetroot into tiny cubes whilst the liquid is absorbing and add with the silverbeet.

The rice should be cooked by now and most of the liquid absorbed.

Turn heat off and add parsley, lemon rind and lemon juice.

Stir to combine, add some cracked pepper and you're ready to serve.

Serves 2

I served this with a simple kale and orange salad, and I think it was a good match.  The richness of the risotto paired with the astringent salad really was a nice balance if I do say so myself.

For the salad, just toss chunks of kale with orange segments, some sliced spanish onion and chopped parsley and dress it with a simple lemon and evoo dressing.  A bit of sea salt and cracked pepper to taste and you are done.

Quick, easy and best of all, super delicious.

Enjoy!