Vegetable 5: Beet It!

Well, if you're like me, the only beets you've had in your life came out of a can.  Well canned or fresh, they are definitely a unique vegetable.  The root of the beet plant is packed with color as well as nutrients!  Beets contain folate, beta carotene, and potassium to name a few.  Beets were even used by the Ancient Romans to treat certain ailments.

So...on to the food cooking!

For this recipe, I deferred to an old favorite of ours to soften the blow of introducing yet another new vegetable to our table...risotto!  Now, for those of you who are particular about your risotto and only eat it from fancy-pants restaurants...pretend I didn't call it risotto and just roll with it.

First I roasted the beets in the oven.  Roasting makes the root soft and really develops the flavor.  I didn't add ANYTHING to the beets.  Their natural sweetness doesn't need any enhancement.  I simply scrubbed them, trimmed the ends and wrapped them in foil.  Bake in a preheated the oven to 425 for about 45 minutes (you may have to leave them longer if you have especially large beets).  When they are finished, set them aside and let them cool in the foil until you can safely handle them.  Dice them into bite sized cubes and set aside.

While your beets are roasting, make the rice.  In a saucepan, bring 4 cups broth to a simmer.  Traditionally, you would use chicken broth but I used vegetable broth since Aaron is allergic to chicken...use whichever you like. In a skillet, add 3 tbsp butter and let it melt over medium heat.  Add 1 small diced onion and cook until soft.  Add 1 cup of rice (risotto is made with Arborio rice, but we use jasmine rice...we're on a budget in this house!).  Stir to coat the rice.  Add 1/2 cup white wine.  Allow the rice to cook until most of the wine is absorbed.  Add the broth, one cup at a time and allow each cup to be absorbed before adding the next.  Once the rice is cooked through, add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and mix well.  Top with diced beets and serve.

Well the rice definitely made this a well received dish...the beets are a unique flavor, and I can honestly say that we'd be willing to try this one again.  However, I wasn't a fan of how pink my fingers were by the end of the night!

Ingredients:
Approximately 1 lb. fresh beet root
4 cups broth (veg. or chicken)
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion
1 cup rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup parmesan cheese