Sweet Potato & Brown Rice Risotto

 I was intrigued by this beautiful Beet Risotto on ktmade.com, but by the time I got around to making it, my beets had gone bad. Instead of tossing the idea, I totally revamped it using a sweet potato left over from a previous recipe. 

This recipe is perfect for those who have dairy sensitivities or are vegan. This risotto is a lot different than my normal risottos: it is creamier and a little sweeter (because of the coconut milk), and definitely better as a side dish than a main dish, but tastes great as leftovers. I encourage you to give it a try if you are looking for a fun twist on risottos.

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped into small pieces
• 3 cups vegetable broth (split use)
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 15 oz. can coconut milk (do not strain)
• 2 cups medium- or long-grain brown rice
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat medium size stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add oil, then garlic and onion. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat slightly if necessary to avoid burning. Add sweet potato and 1 cup of the vegetable broth. Cover and cook until sweet potato has softened (pierce-able with a fork), about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce heat to medium low. Add vinegar, rice and coconut milk. Stir well. Cover and let cook, stirring two to three times, until most liquid has been absorbed.
5. Add the other 2 cups of vegetable broth, stir well, and recover until most of the liquid has been absorbed and rice is cooked.
6. Uncover, turn heat to low, and let rest of liquid cook off – about 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Corn and Caramelized Onion Risotto

Normally, risotto is a main dish for our family. I love savory risottos like red pepper, sun dried tomato, or leek and lemon.

A few weeks ago, I decided to create a risotto that was meant to be served as a side dish. For that reason, you will find this dish is a little sweet - the onions caramelize in their own sugars, and the sweet corn adds a little crunch. Try pairing it with a simple but strongly flavored main dish, such as fish or steak, for a nice contrast.

Ingredients

·      2 onions, quartered and sliced

·      1 large clove garlic, minced

·      2 ears corn (or about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn)

·      salt and freshly ground pepper

·      2 cups Arborio rice

·      6 cups vegetable broth

·      1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (and more for serving)

Directions 

1.  Heat stockpot over medium-low heat. 
2.  Add onions. Cover and cook until onions are caramelized. Stir every few minutes, adding a splash of water if onions start to stick. 
3.  Uncover pot. Add garlic, corn, salt, and pepper. Stir well.
4. Add rice, stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup stock and continue stirring. When stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup stock. Continue this process (and the constant stirring to avoid sticking on bottom of pot) until all stock is used and rice is cooked. Don't rush this part! It will take about 20-25 minutes.
6. Turn off heat. Add parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Leek & Lemon Risotto

Imagine yourself on a villa in Tuscany, enjoying crusty bread, perhaps a glass of wine, and a dish of a warm, creamy risotto.

Minus the villa, you can recreate this scene yourself with a dish my best friend used to make when we were in college. She loved risotto and the combination leek and lemon stuck in my mind.

Risotto is an amazing dish because it is a chameleon, accommodating whatever you put in it. I've had mushroom risotto, red pepper risotto, and a multitude of others. But no matter your seasonings, the slow process allows the rice to absorb more broth, and therefore more flavor. You can make it with any short grain white rice, but I've found it works best with Arborio rice: this rice is the reason for such a creamy consistency. Luckily it's easy to get: I found a bag at my local grocery store.

Trust me, don't rush this process. In the past I've tried pouring all six cups of broth in at once and it was an utter failure. You don't get the creaminess if you go too fast. If you start to get impatient, channel your inner Italian on that villa and relax as you stir.

when slicing leeks, use only the white part

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium white onion, sliced and roughly chopped
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 2 leeks, thinly sliced
• 2 cups short grain rice, such as Arborio rice
• 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• zest of 1 lemon (grated)
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 - 1 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Heat stockpot over medium-low heat.
2. Add olive oil and swirl to coat.
3. Add garlic, onion, and shallot. Cover and cook 4-5 minutes, until softened and translucent.
4. Add leeks. Return cover to pot and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add rice, stirring constantly. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
6. Pour in 1/2 cup stock and continue stirring. When stock is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup stock. Continue this process (and the constant stirring to avoid sticking on bottom of pot) until all stock is used and rice is cooked. Don't rush this part! It will take about 20-25 minutes.
7. Turn off heat. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.