This is a delicious recipe and suitable for serving to vegetarians. It is also very easy to do an oven baked risotto, no standing over the saucepan stirring for 20 minutes! If you grow your own beetroot, or would prefer fresh to vacuum packed, by all means do cook it, this is a bit of a time saving operation, using the vacuum packed. Fresh beetroot is available readily in Ledbury in our independent greengrocers’ and, of course, Handley Organics.
I love risottos and would eat them on a regular basis, but sadly my husband isn’t so keen, however, he does love beetroot, so this one ticks the boxes.
Serves 4
- 3 tbsps. olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 250g. / 8ozs. cooked beetroot
- 200g. / 7ozs. aborio or risotto rice
- 500mls. / 1 pint vegetable stock
- 250ml. / ¼ pt. red wine
- 150g. / 5ozs. any blue cheese
- salt and pepper
- To serve:
- 50g. / 2ozs. rocket leaves
- 25g. / 1oz. chopped walnuts
- Heat the olive oil over a medium heat and fry the onion for a few minutes until soft. Add the chopped beetroot and rice and stir for 1 minute, then pour in the hot stock and wine.
- Bring to the boil, cover with a tight fitting lid and cook in a preheated oven 200C / gas mark 6 for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the blue cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide between 4 warmed serving bowls and scatter over the rocket and chopped walnuts.
