This mouth-watering risotto recipe is provided by Masterchef Semi-Finalist Ollie Hunter at The Wheatsheaf in Chilton Foliat .
Ingredients (makes 4)
1 Onion
1 Garlic bulb
Thyme
2 leek
1 pack of celery
Bay Leaves
400g Risotto Rice
100ml White Wine
4 raw Beetroot, blitzed in a purée with some olive oil
Provolone cheese
Walnuts, chopped
Parsley, chopped
Method
1. First, start a simple vegetable stock by adding all of the following to a pan filled with water: skins of the onion, half a garlic bulb, top half of the leeks, half the celery and the bay leaves.
2. Whilst the stock is simmering, finely dice the rest of the onion, garlic, thyme, leek and celery and add it to another pan with plenty of olive oil.
3. Sauté the vegetables slowly for a good 15 minutes until sweet and delicious. Then add the white wine and cook out for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add the beetroot and cook for a further 10 minutes, before adding the risotto rice.
4. Mix thoroughly so the risotto rice is coated, then slowly ladle the simmering stock into the risotto – you want to add a ladle at at time and wait until the stock has been absorbed each time, doing this until the rice is cooked (it should be creamy and hold its shape) at which point throw in the parsley and serve.
5. To finish scatter the walnuts over, plenty of great olive oil and shavings of provolone cheese.
If you have any leftovers, they can be reheated in a saucepan (with a dash of water to stop it sticking to the bottom) or in the microwave. Or you can make Arancini by making balls of risotto, insert cheese in the middle (I recommend mozzarella or gorgonzola), coat the balls in flour and then fry in a deep fryer or in one inch of oil in your normal frying pan.
Author: Penny Post
Penny Post is a community notice board serving West Berkshire, Wantage, Swindon, Marlborough and surrounding areas so there
