Thursday, October 13, 2011

vegan mofo :: pink ribbon risotto


Think pink. Try my Breast Cancer Awareness Risotto.
Besides being Vegan Mofo, October is also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I've never been a "rah-rah" joiner of causes. But since my oldest sister, Babs, and several of my good friends are breast cancer survivors, I'm sucking it up in their honor and am hopping on the "think pink" bandwagon, for at least a day.

Although I'm smitten with the earthy-sweet flavor of beets, I must admit that I love them, first and foremost, for their ability to naturally impart foods with a vibrant, Schiaparelli-pink hue. It's hard not to smile when faced with a plate of flaming pink rice! Although this easy risotto tastes rich and comforting – perfect for a chilly fall night – it's deceptively low in fat [less than 5 grams per serving].

Confession: Being a connoisseur of groan-inducing puns, it took everything I had to not title this post "Beet Breast Cancer."

Pink Ribbon Risotto

  • 1 small red beet
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 T  olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 1 small red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup arborio rice [Important: use Arborio. Other varieties won't work for risotto]
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine [Optional]
  • Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste


Serves 4

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beet in foil, place on a cookie sheet, and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until soft. Remove foil, peel and chop finely. Set aside. Be careful: beet juice will stain countertops and clothing.  [Time- and energy-saving tip: I bake several beets at once, and use the rest to make borscht or to slice for salads]

Warm stock over medium in a medium saucepan.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium. Add garlic and onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil. Cook about 1 minute, then add the wine, if using, or a ladle of warm stock. Stir. Turn heat to medium low.

Once most of the stock is absorbed, add the beets and another ladle of stock. Stir and cook until the stock is almost absorbed. Continue in this manner, adding stock, a ladle at a time, stirring occasionally and cooking until stock is absorbed, until the rice reaches your desired consistency –about 30-40 minutes.

Adjust seasonings and serve warm.





9 comments:

Chef Amber Shea said...

"Beet Breast Cancer" - HAHA! I nearly LOL'd at that. Nice. :)

Anonymous said...

Two tips for beet risotto - the beets don't HAVE to be roasted beforehand - if you shred them in the food processor they should be thin enough to cook along with the rice. And, adding some greens (the beet greens, spinach, chard, or kale) makes a really nice addition.

T said...

Looks absolutely luscious! I love finding new risottos.

Bianca said...

I LOVE Beet Breast Cancer!! You should probably re-name the post....I mean, "Pink Ribbon Risotto" is great! But Beet Breast Cancer is crazy awesome!

Get Skinny, Go Vegan. said...

Love the Beet Breast Cancer!!!!!!
So pretty!!!!
And Pink is good in the context of foods that fight cancer.

MeloMeals said...

I love the name.. and this looks and sounds so good. I really love beets...

talisma said...

I have to say, this meal looks really cute :)

Hannah said...

Beautiful! I love both the sentiment behind the dish, and its actual contents. Beets are wonderful any way you cook 'em! :)

Unknown said...

I made something like this long before I was a vegan except I also included portabello mushrooms and I finished it with cheese as accustomed. I can see a variation of this with a vegan cheese instead but the addition of the mushroom was great. I got my wife who hates beets to absolutely love it and to this day she continues to ask me to make it!