Beet Risotto Recipe with Kale - Cookin' Canuck (2024)

FAQs

Can I substitute beet greens for kale? ›

Once relegated to the garbage bin after their sweet ruby root veggies have been harvested, these leaves and stems are now replacing kale as the green du jour. With their dark leaves, crimson red veins and rich purple stems, beet greens are as pretty as they are versatile.

If you want to give your homemade risotto a lil' razzle-dazzle, look no further than a bottle of red wine. While classic risotto recipes (like our summer risotto) typically feature white wine, we love the earthy, complex flavor and blush pink color that a hearty red lends to this recipe.

In fact, beloved cookbook author Marcella Hazan doesn't even include wine in her recipe for basic risotto in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Although the alcohol in the wine does cook out after all the stirring and simmering, if you're hesitant to use it for whatever reason, you don't have to!

The roasted beets are wonderful on their own, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, or dressed up more with citrus juice, herbs, or balsamic vinegar. Serve them with any weeknight dinner, or add them to a holiday meal. These oven roasted beets keep well for days in the fridge, so they're great for making ahead.

Use the stems as well as the leaves.

Like Swiss chard, beet leaves have crisp, edible stems that add color and crunch to any beet greens recipe. Don't toss them! Finely dice them and cook them right along with the leaves.

One thing to consider: balsamic is quite high in sugar, so don't wait too long before you start adding broth, or it will stick to the pan. It should work fine, and be quite good. I'd go easy on it, though, as it has more flavor and acid than white wine. Try cutting it 50/50 with water or some of your stock.

Rice: To get that signature creamy risotto texture, you must use a particular type of short-grain, high-starch rice like Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano that releases its starch as you cook and stir. No other rice will give you the same results.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This pantry staple is a great substitute for white wine because it has similar levels of acidity, not to mention a sweet and tangy flavor. However, using too much can make your dish overly sour and pungent, so dilute it with equal parts water and incorporate it into your dish slowly.

The acid of the vinegar is thought to break down more of the starches inside the rice, helping each grain of rice absorb more liquid. Can you put vinegar in rice? Add a teaspoon of vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar both work) to the cooking liquid of your pot of rice.

What is the etiquette for eating risotto? ›

Obviously there is not written rule, as in most cases concerning customs or "good manners": however, according to the Italian Academy of Galateo, a correct way to eat risotto exists. In fact, according to the opinion of these experts, risotto should only be eaten with a fork.

It is nothing more than a traditional risotto recipe, with wine replacing some of the broth. Red wine does wonderful things to risotto. It adds acidity, which pleasantly challenges the richness. And it turns the rice pink.

Steaming will retain more nutrients than boiling. Slow-roasting beets in a foil packet or covered baking dish takes away much of the earthy taste and intensifies the flavor, but you will still have a bit of bleeding and nutrient loss.

Usually we boil them and toss them in a sweet sour vinaigrette and keep them in the refrigerator to eat all week. The vinegar in the dressing "pickles" the beets, helping them last longer in the fridge.

They're far more delicious than those of kale and collards. They're also more nutritious. Beet greens are some of the most nutrient-rich greens around, containing more antioxidants and other phytonutrients than the bulbous roots themselves, according to Jo Robinson, author of Eating On The Wild Side.

Beet greens have oodles of nutritional value, from fiber and protein to vitamins C, K, and B9. You can eat beet greens raw or cooked. No matter how you choose to chow down, you could enjoy health perks like a stronger immune system, healthier teeth, and a healthier digestive tract.

Beet greens and stems are 100% edible, (why wouldn't they be?) and can be eaten raw or cooked.