Beetroot and spring greens risotto

I've been putting off doing something with the beetroots from the veg box for the last few nights. Tonight I decided to get on with roasting them and use them in a risotto. I washed them and put them in foil parcels with olive oil, fresh rosemary, a splash of orange juice, a pinch of salt and peeper. I roasted them in a hot oven (200C) for around 1 and a half hours. Once cooled, I peeled (wearing rubber gloves!) the beetroot and diced into roughly 1cm cubes. I added the beetroot to a basic risotto along with a bowl full of thinly shredded spring greens and ended up with a really vibrantly coloured (as usual my photo doesn't do the dish justice) and very tasty dish. I only used half the amount of beetroot I had for this risotto, the rest is going in the freezer for the next time I want to create a similar risotto (maybe spinach next time). I still have lots of spring greens left which I need to use up in the next few days.

Beetroot and spring greens risotto
Inspired by Able and Cole's Beetroot and summer greens risotto

Serves 2
Olive oil
small onion, peeled and thinly diced
stick of celery, thinly diced (optional)
1 garlic glove, peeled and thinly chopped
150g Arborio rice
Good splash of dry white wine
Approximately 600ml Chicken stock
Finely shredded spring greens (a good cereal bowl full - I know I should have weighed it for you!)
3 Roasted beetroots, diced
Salt and pepper
handful of parmesan cheese

1. Heat the stock in a small saucepan.
2. Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot add the onion and celery and sweat (with the lid on), stirring occasionally until soft but not brown (5-10 mins).
3. Add the garlic cook for a few minutes, again stirring frequently.
4. Add the rice and turn up the heat. Stir to coat the rice (from here on you need to stir much more frequently to stop the rice sticking or burning and also to release the starch to make it deliciously creamy).
5. You should notice the rice become translucent and at this point you need to add the wine and continue to stir.
6. Once the wine has been absorbed by the rice, add the first ladle of stock and turn the heat back down to medium. Keep stirring.
7. Add the beetroot to the pan, stir well. The rice will start to become pink.
   
8. Once this ladle of stock has been fully absorbed by the rice, add another ladle, stir and repeat until the rice is cooked. Add the spring greens after the first few ladles of stock or later if you like it more crunchy.
   
9. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat, season to taste.
10. Scatter the parmeson (and a few small knobs of butter if you like) over the top, replace the lid and leave to become oozy/creamy ( few minutes).
11. Once the cheese and butter(if using) have melted, stir well and serve.

Enjoy!