And on the topic of rice… Pretty isn’t it?
So pretty in fact that I couldn’t get myself to eat it after taking the photos. I just sat there, stared at it and smiled for a few minutes. Then I ate it.
When I received the invitation to take part in the challenge, straight away I thought of incorporating beetroot into one of my recipes because of its pinkness – pink is breast cancer awareness colour. I’ve gone out on a limb with the fish balls in masterctock jelly, so I needed to play it somewhat safe with the beets, I thought.
My Mum makes a killer beetroot mash, I’m a self-professed beetroot and goat’s cheese fan and Mr Chipconnoisseur loves risotto, so it was only logical to combine all of our favourites into one dish. I didn’t want to mix the goat’s cheese into the risotto because the flavour would have gotten lost a little. Instead I got some marinated goat’s Chevre, mashed it up a little and drizzled around the edge of the plate for a sophisticated look and more measured flavour bursts.
And it was amazing. As good as it looked if not better. And I love how the Nick Munro designer jelly mould turns otherwise ordinary looking (but great tasting) food into little masterpieces. This is the only way to serve this dish – go and get yourself a cone and support a good cause!
Tune in tomorrow for a great jelly for the kids to get involved with – last day of NSW school holidays calls for a bit of fun!
Giveaway
Each comment on the Royal Selangor Get Your Jelly On challenge posts on my blog (Day 1, Day 2, etc) is your entry to win an Olympus VG-110 camera. Giveaway is open worldwide! Entries close October 30, midnight AEST. Winner will be announced on the blog on October 31.
Serves 2 as a starter
Beetroot and pine nut risotto with Chevre dressing
If you can’t get marinated Chevre, simply buy the log kind then break it up into a jar, add a couple of garlic cloves sliced in half, a sprig of thyme and enough good quality light olive oil to cover. It will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks. You can put the beets on while you’re cooking the risotto, but I like to make the mash first in case the beets cook too slowly.
For the risotto:
- 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 300ml vegetable // or chicken stock
- 1/2 a large onion (90g chopped)
- 10g butter
- 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
For the beetroot mash:
- 2 small beetroots (150g total)
- 10g butter
- 1 tsp plain flour
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
To serve:
- 1/4 cup crumbled Chevre in oil (see note above)
- a handful of pea sprouts, stems trimmed
- 1 tsp gound black pepper
- (oil spray to grease the moulds)
To make the mash: place trimmed but unpeeled beets in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil then cook for about 20-30 minutes or until tender – check by piercing with a knife. Drain and using plastic gloves slide the skins off and trim the ends with a knife.
Chop beets into small chunks, place in a measuring jug and process in a food processor or whith a handheld blender until smooth.
Heat butter in the same (wiped dry) saucepan. Add flour and whisk quickly to make a simple roux. Pour in the beetroot and cook on medium high heat, whisking for about 5 minutes. Season with lemon juice and white pepper. Set aside.
To make the risotto: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until just translucent. Add rice and cook stirring for about 3 minutes – stirring is very important, so don’t let it cook unattended.
Add a quarter (75ml) of stock to the rice at a time, stirring vigorously and let it simmer until most of the stock has been absorbed. Repeat until all stock has been used. Check rice for tenderness, it should be al dente (to the tooth) but not undercooked.
Add beetroot mash and pine nuts to the risotto and mix well.
To serve: spoon risotto into the cones greased lightly with oil spray and invert them onto a plate. Lift off the moulds gently. Spike with trimmed pea sprouts and drizzle around with Chevre dressing. Sprinkle some pepper onto the dressing as a final touch. Enjoy.
55 comments
Hey there, I’m new to your blog but love this recipe and your creativity, I will go back this weekend and look through all your other jelly mould posts too! Good work!
Hi Martyna, this looks so good!!! Like you, I’m a fan of beetroot but would have never thought of putting into risotto! Great idea, as always coming from you. Wonder what the kids’ fun creation will be…
Come back tomorrow and you shall see… lots of fun!
The mould definitely makes the rich pink risotto look great on a plate… and I like the green garnish, breaks up the start deep purple /pink of the beets. Great idea again!
This must be one of the best looking risotto I’ve seen! I think beetroot is such an under-rated ingredient when it is so versatile, especially by using its vibrant red colour like you have done here!
Thank you so much! :-)
Oh now you’re just showing off! Seriously, looks awesome.
LOL! I’m afraid there’s more where this one came from! ;-)
omfg, gimme gimme!
Haha thanks Laura! There are some leftovers… only about 2 spoonfulls though.
This really looks awesome. I’m not a fan of beetroots, but I love risotto and I think the earthy beet would work well. Have to try it and thank for sharing.
It’s like a pretty little tree! Great presentation.
Indeed! :-)
This is so pretty..the color..fuhh..cant get of my eyes from it!! Good work dear!
What gorgeous colours, the green against the dark pink, lovely!
I really liked the contrast too. When I first thought of the beetroot risotto I pretty much knew that the green would break up the colours perfectly well. especially in a cone shape presentation.
All my favourite things in a risotto! Yum. Keep the recipes coming… :)
anna
Thanks Anna, mine too!
Great post and what a wonderful idea for a risotto, I would have never thought of combining the two!
Very vibrant colours, definitely a risotto to try
Nice, yet again! You are on the roll! Beetroot risotto is nice to eat and look at
Wow!! looks amazingly deliciously. Really craving for it. Who would have thought of beetroot and risotto would got me salivating this much :)
I know, right? It is amazing!
Hey Marty, only just got a chance to check out your posts and can I say: OMG!!!! They are amazing! You are amazing! So outside the square!
Hej, Martyna! Great recipe, the beetroot mash is very Polish we used to have it too. Good idea to add this to rice to make risotto. Beautiful pictures.
xoxo
Thank you Kamila!
Gorgeous, what a great plan of attack! i would never be able to come up with so many ideas.
Thanks Muppy! I’ve always been a creative soul :-)
How very creative of you. Off to see your other posts!
this looks stunning! And what an excellent idea for a risotto.
Beetroots are such amazing vegetables and you are such an amazing, creative cook!
Love the idea of using the jelly mould for the risotto. Very colourful and I love beetroot.
I’ve been hanging out for your risotto with great expectations and you’ve still managed to surprise me!!! Looks amazing & so so tasty. Can’t wait to try :-)
This looks almost too pretty to break it down and eat! Well done!
Beautiful.
the color is amazing
This one looks yummilicious!!! Love it!
I like the green accents. Beautiful!
Looks like a pretty mound straight from the garden :) great contrast of the beet red and green pea sprouts
Martyna,
This looks amazing and what an unusual combination… risotte and beetroot… never thought of it. It looks yummmm!!
Beets and goat cheese are a perfect combination of flavors.
I love beetroot risotto with goats cheese (or sometimes with a tsp of creamed horseradish) but that is just STUNNING!!! the contrast of the green pea shoots, wow!
That would just be a perfect veggie option rather than the standard tomato & veggie pasta (with a bit of cheese if you’re lucky).
probably my fav taste spotting find to date! (had to share on facebook too! & might just have to tweet the post too!) Everyone should see this!
Alex would go nuts for this, he loves beetroot. Looks like I’ll be stealing this recipe. Doubt mine will look as pretty though
I love the color in this dish! It’s gorgeous
The little cones are just so cute!
Chevre is SO. GOOD. And served this way, it must be doubly scrumptious!
Very cheffy plating :) I’m loving the colour contrast between the beetroot and pea sprouts ( I love snow pea sprouts in salad, yum!)
Oh, the prettiest risotto ever! I love red beets and they are very tasty in risotto or pasta dishes.
Wow! I love the bright colour!
The colour is fantastic!
Pretty colors. Will have a hard time eating something as beautiful as that, too.
Loving the pink!! So pretty. And goat’s cheese!! *drool* I just got back from France a month ago and I’m still craving/missing the food. This takes me back.
[…] Beetroot and pine nut risotto with Chevre dressing from Martyna. Stunning photo! […]
Food porn!
My boyfriend and I found this recipe via foodgawker and made this last night to celebrate/mourn our last night together for a few weeks. It was absolutely delicious, thank you for the recipe! I have the leftovers in my bag right now to eat at the airport- triple bagged to avoid any beetroot spill disasters :)