Are your preparations to celebrate V-Day in full swing?
Picked out your outfit? No? Then check out some V-Day style inspo here.
Bought a gift yet? Nooo? Unacceptable….then,
make a cutesy DIY gift, or kick-start romance in bed, I mean breakfast in bed.
On any special occasion, though we eat out at a restaurant, I still like to make at least one meal at home, because, I loveee to cook and my hubby dear thoroughly enjoys my cooking. I just couldn’t deny him one of his favorite things on Valentine’s Day (could I now!). So, keeping in with the Valentine’s theme; if I didn’t make this (utterly butterly) delicious beets risotto earlier in the week to bring this recipe over to you, it would have definitely featured on our V-Day menu at home, after all, risotto is one of our favorite(est) dishes!!!
The ooey, gooey cheese, the crispy celery bits, the flavorful thyme, and the earthy red wine all blended so deliciously well together that my hubby and I just couldn’t stop at one serving – we literally had to fight for the very last spoon 😉 It was that yummy-yum-yumm!!! Don’t trust me? Try it yourself!
It doesn’t matter if you are single or have a special someone in your life, its another day and another reason to celebrate, so why not, right?
Serves: 2
Prep time: 40-50 mins
Ingredients
- ½ cup Arborio rice
- 2 big red beets with greens
- ½ cup dry red wine (Merlot)
- 2-3 cups warm vegetable broth
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Pepper, freshly ground
- A few sprigs of Thyme
- Shaved Parmesan-Romano cheese, for garnish
- 3 celery branches, diced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ºF.
- Peel the beets and cut them into small pieces, season with olive oil, salt and pepper and give it a good mix. Place the beets in a baking dish, cover the dish with a foil and roast in the oven for about 30-40 mins or until the beets are tender (check using a knife or fork).
- In the meantime, chop the beet greens and stems. Heat a pan, add ½ tablespoon olive oil and beet greens, saute with salt and pepper on medium-high heat for 3 mins or until lightly browned. Set aside.
- Heat a large saucepan over medium-high. Add butter and olive oil, stir until the butter melts. Add minced garlic and chopped onions, stir occasionally until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the rice, season with salt and pepper and stir often until the rice absorbs all the butter and becomes translucent, about 2-3 mins. Now add red wine and stir until it is completely absorbed and the rice becomes dry.
- Add in the warm broth ½ cup at a time, simmer and stir constantly until it is completely absorbed, halfway through add celery. Cook until the rice is al dente and creamy, after about 20 minutes remove from the heat. Add the beets and stir well.
- Serve the risotto, topped with sautéed beet greens, thyme leaves and shaved Parmesan cheese.
Variations:
- You can totally skip roasting the beets, instead add chopped beets right after the onions are soft and sauté it for about 6-8 mins before adding the rice. It tastes just as delicious.
- You can also add ½ cup of Parmesan cheese or a tablespoon unsalted butter or 2 tablespoons heavy cream when you add beets to the rice.
- I add celery for its crunchiness, both my hubby and I love the crunchy texture.
- You can switch out the beets for other vegetables (mushrooms, asparagus, peas, squash, etc.).
- You can use dry white wine in place of dry red wine.
“I make risotto in my sleep”.
xoxo,
Kusum
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