Beetroot Risotto
For this dish we cook the beetroot from the root to the leaf. Taleggio, the spicy, melt-in-the-mouth cheese from northern Italy, provides the necessary aroma.
| Ingredients (4 servings) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | large onion, finely chopped | |
| 300 | g | risotto rice |
| 125 | ml | dry white wine |
| 1 | l | chicken or vegetable stock, kept hot in a pan |
| 300-400 | g | beetroot, peeled and cut into approx 5x5mm cubes |
| 100 | g | parmesan cheese, grated |
| young beetroot leaves | ||
| 200 | g | Taleggio cheese, rind removed |
| 100 | g | roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped |
| olive oil | ||
| black pepper, freshly ground | ||
- Heat some olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
- Sauté the onion until translucent, but it does not yet change colour.
- Add the rice and sauté, stirring frequently, until it smells lightly toasted (about five minutes).
- Deglaze with the white wine, stir and let all the liquid evaporate.
- Pour in a generous ladle of hot stock and add the beetroot. Stirring occasionally, allow the stock to evaporate and pour on another ladleful.
- Repeat until rice is cooked al dente (about 15 to 20 minutes).
- Fold in the parmesan and most of the beet leaves.
- Stir until the rice is firm to the bite and the risotto has a creamy consistency - it should be able to move back and forth on the plate.
- Arrange on warmed plates and place the Taleggio in bite-sized pieces on the hot rice so that it begins to melt.
- Garnish with the hazelnuts and the remaining beet leaves.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve.
