Spring Beet Risotto

Spring Beet Risotto

• 1 bunch whole beets (about 4)
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1.5 cups Carnaroli rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1.5 tsp. pink Himalayan salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pink peppercorns
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1. Place your oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400F. Begin preparing your beets for roasting by cutting off the leaves close to the top of each beet. Save these greens; they are delicious and can be used in a variety of other dishes.
2. Scrub the beets under cold water, then toss in 2 tablespoons of oil. Wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil and place them on a baking sheet before roasting to catch any juices. Bake for 50-60 minutes until fork tender, checking every 20 minutes to ensure they don’t scorch in the oven. If the bottom of the beets begin to burn, drizzle with a little water, rewrap, and continue cooking.
3. When finished cooking, remove the beets from the oven and allow to rest until cool enough to handle. Using your fingers or a paring knife, slip the skins off the beets and slice them into thick wedges.

1. Transfer a third of the prepared beets into a saucepan with the chicken stock, and using an immersion blender, puree the combination until smooth (it should be very liquidy). If you don’t have an immersion blender, this step can be performed in an upright blender and then transferred to the saucepan. Bring the beet-infused stock to a gentle simmer.
2. In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed stock pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on med-low. Add your trio of minced aromatics: shallot, parsley, and garlic, and cook until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add your *rice, unrinsed (see explanation above), stir to coat, then pour in the wine and cook for a few minutes.
3. Carefully add two ladles full of the beet/stock combination, salt, and pink pepper. Simmer over low heat, stirring regularly until most of the liquid is absorbed; this should take 5-10 minutes. Continue adding stock two ladles at a time and stirring to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom. Cook until the liquid is absorbed and the grains seem almost dry before making the next addition. Continue until you have used all the liquid and the rice is soft and creamy.
4. Turn off the heat and finish your risotto with the parmesan, lemon zest, and reserved wedges of roasted beets. Season to taste with additional salt and serve immediately. Garnish with more parmesan and parsley.