Beetroot Risotto with Apples, Walnuts and Brie

          When I was working on my post about Apple and Cream Cheese French Toast I made some research about Vicky Ratnani, an Indian celebrity chef (whose recipe I used) and accidentally came across another dish of his – beetroot risotto with apples and brie. Quite a quirky combination, I know, but that’s what usually makes any dish so appealing to me!

            Since it is a vegetarian risotto I decided to make it for breakfast (with a carnivorous husband at home a meal containing not a single piece of meat is a strict no-no during lunch or dinner time). So, as my husband walked on a weekend morning in the kitchen and saw a purplish something simmering in a pan he frowned and asked: “Honey, what are we gonna have for breakfast?” “A beetroot risotto. With some apples and walnuts.” “Oh….Wow…Ok…” (poor thing! as if  he had a choice!) But as he tried a spoon of it he quite liked it! And as far as I am concerned I came to the conclusion that it was probably the best risotto I’ve ever had (or was I way too hungry that morning?) Anyway, it’s definitely a winning combination and I will be happy to cook and to have this dish again!

Recipe adapted from the original one by Vicky Ratnani

Ingredients:

½ cup beetroot, pureed

600 ml vegetable stock

150 gm Arborio rice

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tbsp butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp red wine

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

40 gm brie, crust removed

½ Granny Smith apple

½ small beetroot, julienned

A handful of walnuts, chopped

A few rocket leaves

Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

1. Combine vegetable stock and beetroot puree and bring to a simmer.
2. In a pan, heat oil and butter and sauté onion until translucent. Add garlic, followed by rice and cook for a few more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Start adding the hot stock, one ladleful at a time (don’t add a new portion of stock till the previous one is almost fully absorbed). After 15 minutes start to taste: it takes 15 – 17 minutes to cook risotto.
3. Make julienne of a small piece of the apple and dice the remaining one. As soon as the rice is al dente, stir in the diced apple, together with cheese and herbs. Remove from heat, cover the pan and leave for a minute.
4. Divide the risotto between the plates and sprinkle with the walnuts. Combine apple and beetroot juliennes with rocket leaves and put them on top of the risotto.