Hairy Bikers Beetroot and Goats’ Cheese Risotto

Half the beetroot never makes it into the pan whole. It goes in the blender with a litre of stock first, and the rice then absorbs that liquid instead of plain stock. Hairy Bikers beetroot risotto serves four at 371 calories, in about 45 minutes.

They describe it on their site as dazzlingly pink, rich and creamy, and made easy by using ready-cooked beetroot. It comes from their Home for Christmas series rather than one of the cookbooks.

The beetroot is split in two and used twice. Half is blended into the stock at the start and half is chopped in at the very end, so you get the colour from one and the texture from the other.

Hairy Bikers Beetroot Risotto

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Italian Courses:Main

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 45 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:371 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Deep-fried kale crisps go on top, and the goats’ cheese is crumbled over at the table rather than stirred in. Underneath is risotto rice cooked in blended beetroot stock with thyme and white wine. This Hairy Bikers beetroot risotto serves four.

Ingredients

For the risotto

• 500g cooked beetroot
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 30g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 300g risotto rice
• 1 large sprig thyme
• 100ml dry white wine
• small bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
• small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped, optional
• squeeze of lemon juice, optional
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

• vegetable oil, for deep frying
• handful of kale leaves, trimmed, washed and very thoroughly dried
• 150g creamy goats’ cheese, crumbled
• 50g Parmesan, or a vegetarian hard cheese

Instructions

1. Make the beetroot stock: Put half the beetroot in a food processor with the stock and blend until smooth. Pour it into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Prepare the rest: Finely chop the remaining beetroot and leave it to drain in a colander.
3. Soften the onion: Heat the oil and half the butter in a large casserole dish or saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently until very soft, then add the garlic and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Coat the rice: Stir in the rice and thyme until coated in the oil and butter.
5. Add the wine: Turn the heat up and pour in the wine. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until reduced.
6. Add the stock: Turn the heat down to medium and add a ladleful of the beetroot stock. Season with salt and pepper and stir constantly until it has been absorbed. Repeat until all the stock is in. The rice should be creamy but still al dente.
7. Finish: Beat in the remaining butter and the chopped beetroot. Stir through the herbs, check the seasoning and add a squeeze of lemon if it needs it. Take out the thyme sprig.
8. Fry the kale: Half-fill a heavy-based pan with vegetable oil and heat to 170°C. Add the kale a few leaves at a time and cook for 1 minute until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt.
9. Serve: Divide between four warmed plates, crumble over the goats’ cheese and Parmesan at the table, and top with the kale.

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FAQs

Why blend half the beetroot into the stock?

Because rice takes on the colour of whatever liquid it absorbs. Blending the beetroot into the stock dyes every grain, rather than leaving dark lumps sitting in beige rice.

Drain the chopped half properly before it goes in at the end. Beetroot holds a lot of water, and that water would loosen a risotto you have just spent twenty minutes thickening.

Do I have to deep-fry the kale?

No, though it is what the recipe asks for and it takes one minute at 170°C. The crisp leaves give you something to bite against soft rice.

If you would rather not deep-fry, toss the kale in a little oil and bake it at 160°C for about ten minutes until crisp. Dry the leaves very thoroughly either way, because wet kale in hot oil spits badly.

Can I use raw beetroot instead of cooked?

You can, but it changes the job. The recipe uses ready-cooked beetroot for speed, which is why it takes 45 minutes rather than an hour and a half.

Raw beetroot needs roasting or boiling first, about an hour depending on size. If you do roast your own, the site suggests keeping the leaves, wilting them down and stirring them through the risotto.

Why goats’ cheese at the table rather than in the pan?

Because it would melt into the rice and lose its shape. Crumbled on at the last moment, you get sharp white pockets against the sweet beetroot, which is the contrast the dish is built on.

That is different from how Parmesan usually works in risotto. Their smoked haddock risotto beats 50g of Parmesan into the pan at the end so it disappears into the sauce.

How does this compare with their beetroot soup?

Both start with 500g of cooked beetroot, so the shopping is identical. What happens next is not.

Their beetroot soup is chunky, holds some of the beetroot back to keep its bite, and comes in at 234 calories. This one blends half into the stock and lands at 371, mostly because of the rice, butter and two cheeses.