Beet Risotto

A while back, two of my favorite foodie friends and I were discussing the best way to make a beet risotto.  Better to make a simple risotto base and top it with beets at the end?  Or better to make a beet stock and infuse the whole dish with beet-red goodness?  This prompted a beet-themed dinner party, replete with beet risotto, beet salad, beet chutney, and a chocolate beet cake.

I decided to go for the beet-stock risotto, because I wanted to see just how colorful it could get.  And my, did it turn fuchsia!  It was like Lisa Frank had decorated my plate (in a good way). And while the color infused the entire dish, the beet flavor wasn't too overwhelming.  The additions of dill, goat cheese, and some fried onions added a lot of flavor that balanced out the beetiness. I tried topping it with some makeshift beet "croutons," hoping to add a little more beet flavor and a little crunch, but they didn't get as crispy as I hoped.  Oh well. 

When I first tried making this risotto, I actually prepared the stock the night before by boiling the beets in some veggie stock until they were cooked.  This time, I just threw large beet slices in with the risotto for about the first 20 minutes it was cooking, and then removed them while the rice finished.  Both way has the same effect, and the second saved a bit of time.  I also tried throwing in some arugula this time, but I prefer the dill - it was a little more balanced than the spiciness of the arugula.

Beet Risotto with Goat Cheese

1/2 cup diced onions

3-4 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

3-4 beets, peeled and quartered

3-4 cups stock

1/3 cup goat cheese crumbles, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 tbs. chopped dill, plus more for garnish

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1) Saute onions and garlic in olive oil and a pinch of salt until soft and aromatic

2) Add rice, mix until rice is covered with oil, and toast for about a minute.  Add the wine and cook over medium heat until wine is fully absorbed.

3) Add in the beets and enough stock to cover the rice and beets (2 to 2 1/2 cups).  Over medium low-heat, cook the rice and beets, stirring regularly. See the basic risotto recipe I use for more information on how to cook risotto. 

4) After about twenty minutes, before the rice is done, take out the beet quarters.  Chop a few up to use for garnish, and reserve the rest for a salad or any of your other beet needs. 

5) Right as the risotto is finishing (the rice is al dente and the starch has made it all nice and creamy) add the goat cheese and dill.  Stir well, and keep reduce heat to low.

6)  In a separate sauce pan, heat up a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or other oil with a high smoking temp (not olive oil or butter) over high heat.  When the oil is very hot, add the sliced shallots and cook until browned, stirring regularly to avoid burning them.  Remove to a small plate with a paper towel and sprinkle with salt while still hot. 

7) In a large bowl or individual dishes, serve up the risotto.  Garnish with fried shallots and left over goat cheese and dill.  A nice Riesling or sweeter sparkling wine would add a final tasty touch. 

Who knew risotto could be so pretty?

Whole-Wheat Orzo with Marinated Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Shredded Chicken, and Corn

Roomie inspired me with her incredible (and incredibly easy) caprese pasta. Those tomatoes were sweet as candy! But, of course, I didn't want to copy her too much (tempted as I was), so I was looking for a similar idea with different flavors and textures. I decided to peruse one of my favorite cookbooks, Urban Italian, (which I lovingly refer to as "food porn") for some ideas on a dish where fresh cherry tomatoes would shine. I didn't want to roast them or make them into a sauce (why muddy up the flavor with too much cooking?) and a salad would just be a waste (salads, alas, are not my favorite way to eat). And there it was, a recipe for a fettuccine with marinated tomatoes and a goat cheese cream sauce. My curiosity was piqued.

Don't get me wrong, I love goat cheese. With caramelized onions on a tart, on top of a beet salad (a salad-type I do approve of), or spread onto a crostini with some slow roasted garlic and honey or apples. Mmm, mmm, good. But I'm not one of those people who can eat goat cheese with a spoon. The flavor can be a little intense for me. So while the idea of a goat cheese cream sauce sounded deliciously decadent, I decided it'd be better to take a more subtle approach with a scant sprinkling of crumbled cheese. Trade in the fettuccine for some whole wheat orzo (a texture I prefer) and throw in some chicken and corn to make the meal more complete and seasonally-friendly, and I had myself a pretty gosh darn satisfying dish for this summer-to-fall transition.

A few notes. First, I boiled my chicken because I had some locally-raised free range legs and thighs on hand. But, for vegetarians, you can leave out the chicken, and for those of you in a hurry, a store-bought rotisserie chicken will do just fine. Just ignore those parts of the recipe, and start straight in with the shredding. If you do decided to cook your chicken, be sure to save the liquid, as it makes a pretty easy chicken stock.

Second note: this meal is definitely on the sweeter side of savory. I mean, it's tomatoes, corn, balsamic vinegar, and tangy goat cheese. I liked it, and mine turned out pretty well-balanced for the ingredients used. Plus, in the summer/early fall heat, a little sweetness with a nice crisp wine ain't all bad. But, if you tend to like your food on the saltier side, this might not be for you. If you have any ideas on a good way to make the dish a little more savory, let me know!






Lastly, tomatoes are key here, so make sure you get some good ones! Enjoy!

Whole-Wheat Orzo with Marinated Tomatoes, Goat Cheese, Shredded Chicken, and Corn

Marinated Tomatoes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 large shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper

Shredded Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, on the bone
1/2 onion, loosely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, whole
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme

8 oz. whole wheat orzo pasta
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles plus more for garnish
Chopped basil (for garnish)

1) In a mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, shallots, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Let it hang out while you do everything else.

2) In a large pot or dutch oven, bring a hefty amount of water to boil. Salt the water generously, and add the chicken, chopped onions, garlic cloves, thyme, and oregano. Boil until chicken is cooked thoroughly, about 30 minutes. Taste along the way to make sure the broth is salted enough.

3) Remove chicken to a large cutting board. Strain the cooking liquid of the onions and garlic, being sure to reserve the liquid. Return about half of the stock to the pot (to cook the orzo) and reserve the rest for a later cooking use.

4) When stock returns to a boil, add the orzo. While the orzo cooks, with two forks, shred the chicken. If you haven't done it before, it's basically like you're using a fork and knife, but with two forks. Also kind of like when you're fighting with someone over the last piece of dessert (but maybe that's just me...) You can also use your fingers if you feel like getting messy.

5) About 2 minutes before the pasta is done, add the corn to blanch it. Drain the corn and orzo together, and mix in the goat cheese until its all melted (it'll look like a thick cream sauce). Add the chicken and tomato mixture and toss until well combined.

6) Garnish with more basil and goat cheese, and devour immediately.



4 servings