Pumpkin Or Golden Beetroot Risotto
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes for roasting vegetables, 40 minutes for risotto
Serves: 4
- 375g/13ozs. (around 4) golden beetroot or pumpkin* see directions below
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 5 cups/1.25 litres/2.6pints chicken stock, hot, divided in 3 cups and 2 cups
- 1/2 cup/110g/3.9ozs. arborio or carnaroli rice (do not wash)
- 30g/1oz gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (optional)
- 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs cream
- 1 cup/80g/3ozs. grated parmesan cheese
- Salt, pepper and chopped parsley to finish
To roast the beetroot, trim the greens and wash well but do not peel. Wrap two beets in a sheet of foil and drizzle with a teaspoon of oil and then wrap up snugly and then place on a baking tray and bake at 180C/350F for 45 minutes (1 hour if they are very large but mine were around 95g/3ozs each). To roast pumpkin take a wedge of pumpkin and cut off a 100g/3.5oz chunk. Place the large chunk of pumpkin, drizzle with oil and roast until tender (around 30-45 minutes). This roasting can be done 2-3 days ahead of time.
Step 1 - Heat 3 cups of stock in a small saucepan on the stovetop next to the frying pan and keep on low heat.
Step 2 -With the roasted beetroot, dice up one beetroot and set aside. Then puree the remaining three beetroot with 2 cups of stock and set aside. If you're making it with pumpkin, puree all of the roasted pumpkin with 2 cups of stock. Chop up the remaining 100g/3.5ozs. chunk of pumpkin into a small dice and set aside.
Step 3 -Heat the oil in a deep nonstick frypan or skillet and add the onion and sauté on low medium heat until soft but not caramelised (do not allow to brown). Add the rice and coat the grains in the oil and onion. Add the stock one ladle at a time. You're going to add 2 cups of the stock. If you're using the pumpkin add in the diced, raw pumpkin at this stage too. Once the 2 cups of stock is added then add the 2 cups of the beetroot or pumpkin stock puree (the extra 1 cup of stock is a backup to make sure that the risotto is loose enough). This will take up to 25-30 minutes total on medium heat.
Step 4 -Add the crumbled gorgonzola if using and allow to melt. Then add the cream and stir. Check the texture of the rice, some like it having some bite, I prefer it al dente but not hard. Use the extra cup of stock by the ladleful if needed. Once it has reached the texture that you like add the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. If you're using the beetroot you can add the diced beetroot on top. Serve immediately.