Beetroot Risotto with Fetta & Hazelnuts

Cook Time 1 hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 white onion, finely chopped

4 cloves black garlic (or 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped)

250g arborio rice

150ml dry white wine

2 bay leaves 

5 sprig thyme

750ml vegetable stock

500g beetroot

To Garnish

Golden beets, roasted and pickled

Hazelnuts

Fetta

Method

Heat the oven to 190°C. 

Peel and trim the beetroots and chop them into chunks. Transfer to a baking tray and toss with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until soft all the way through. Blitz in a blender until completely smooth. 

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 3-5 minutes, or until very soft. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt and cook for a further minute or so, just to soften. Stir in the arborio rice and mix well to coat all the grains with the oil.

Add wine and cook until absorbed. Add the bay leaves and thyme, and a ladleful of the veg stock. Stir continuously until the liquid has been absorbed before adding another ladleful of stock. Repeat this step, stirring continuously between ladlefuls of stock, until all the stock has been added. At this point, the rice should be creamy but still slightly al dente.  Stir through the beetroot puree, taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, divide the risotto between bowls, then top with a sprinkling of fetta, hazelnuts and golden beets.