Black And Arborio Risotto With Beets And Beet Greens Food

BLACK AND ARBORIO RISOTTO WITH BEETS AND BEET GREENS

Steps:

• To cook the black rice, combine with 2 cups water in a saucepan, add salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Remove from the heat, remove the lid from the pan and place a dish towel over the pan, then return the lid. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low. Stack the stemmed, washed greens and cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the greens, the diced beets and black rice and continue adding more stock, enough to barely cover the rice, and stirring often, for another 10 to 15 minutes. The arborio rice should be chewy but not hard in the middle - and definitely not soft like steamed rice. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Now is the time to ascertain if there is enough salt. Add if necessary.
• When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another ladleful of stock, the Parmesan and the parsley. Remove from the heat. The risotto should be creamy; if it isn't, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

BEET RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place a small braiser or medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the hot pan and melt. Add the shallot, fennel, beet and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the in butter and oil mixture and toast slightly, about 3 more minutes. Deglaze with the sherry vinegar and season with the remaining salt. Begin adding the broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring often. Cook, stirring, after each addition until the broth is almost completely absorbed, continuing with the remaining broth until the risotto is creamy, cooked through and still moves slightly when spooned onto a plate. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Serve with crumbled gorgonzola on top.

PINK RISOTTO WITH BEET GREENS AND ROASTED BEETS

Steps:

• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low. Stack the stemmed, washed greens and cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the greens and the diced beets, and continue adding more stock, enough to barely cover the rice, and stirring often, for another 10 to 15 minutes. Taste a bit of the rice. Is it cooked through? It should taste chewy but not hard in the middle. Definitely not soft like steamed rice. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Now is the time to ascertain if there is enough salt. Add if necessary.
• When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another half cup of stock, the Parmesan and the parsley. Remove from the heat. The rice should be creamy; if it isn't, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

SLOW COOKER BEET GREEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add beet stems; saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add rice and stir until it begins turning translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Scrape rice and onion mixture into a slow cooker. Set slow cooker on High. Add beet greens and broth. Cover and cook until rice is tender but not soupy, 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

BEET RISOTTO WITH GREENS

Steps:

• Bring stock to simmer on stove. Heat the butter in a wide pot, add onion, and cook over medium heat 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the rice, stir to coat it well, and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until it's absorbed, then stir in half the parsley, the basil, grated beets, and the chard(or other greens).
• Add 2 cups stock, cover, and cook at a fast simmer until stock is absorbed.
• Begin adding the remaining stock in 1/2 cup increments, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. When you have 1 cup left, add the beet greens or spinach.
• Taste for salt, season with pepper, then stir in the lemon zest and juice to taste.
• Serve dusted with the Parmesan cheese and the remaining parsley.