Recipe courtesy of Benefit Drinks benefitdrinks.co.uk
Vegan Beetroot Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients
250g good quality risotto rice
3 shallots or one white onion
1 garlic clove
50g of chestnut mushrooms
25g of dried wild mushrooms
500ml of Benefit beetroot juice
250ml of vegetable stock
Sprig of thyme
Freshly cracked black pepper
Chunks or artichoke hearts in oil
Glug of olive oil or rapeseed oil
Parsley
Truffle oil optional
Method:
Grab a heavy bottomed pan, and put it on a medium heat, and start gently heating your glug of olive oil. Begin to sauté the onions and finely chopped garlic clove.
While they soften meanwhile, steep the dried mild mushrooms in about 150 ml of boiled water. When the onions are softened, add the rice to the pan and stir continually until opaque (about 3-5 mins).
Combine the stock and beetroot juice and warm through in a microwave or on the stove top in a jug, before adding your wild mushroom stock.
Add a sprig of thyme and bay leaf to the rice, then add about 200ml of the stock to the rice (beware of beetroot splashes on white shirts!) Pour stock into rice through a sieve in order to reserve mushrooms from stock and continue to stir vigorously.
When all the liquid has evaporated, add the same amount of stock again and repeat process, until all liquid has been used up when you can test the rice to see if it’s cooked through, and add more stock if needed.
Finished risotto should resemble a porridge consistency. For the final flourish, stir in two or three chopped artichoke hearts, a garnish of parsley and a drizzle of truffle if you’re feeling fancy.