Risotto with Roasted Root Vegetables

From issue #8.
Photography by Minka Firth.
Risotto with Roasted Root Vegetables

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

Vegetables
800 grams assorted root vegetables, e.g. carrots, parsnips, kumara, pumpkin, celeriac, peeled and cut into sticks
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary or thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Risotto
1-11⁄2 litres vegetable stock 60 grams butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cups Arborio rice
1⁄2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
1⁄4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

METHOD

Vegetables: Preheat the oven to 200oC.

Place the vegetables in a roasting pan and combine with the oil, rosemary and garlic. Season well and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until tender, turning once.

Risotto: Bring the stock to the boil in a small pot. Reduce the heat and keep hot.
Melt half the butter in a large heavy-based pot and sauté the onion and garlic, stirring frequently until soft and translucent.

Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil and warm through. This is called ‘toasting’.
Add one cup of simmering stock and stir over a medium heat until the stock is absorbed. Add the remaining stock, 1⁄2 a cup at a time, stirring constantly, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next.

Cook until the rice is tender and creamy.

Stir in the remaining butter, the parmesan and the flat-leaf parsley and season to taste.

To serve: Ladle the risotto into warm serving bowls and top with the roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with extra grated parmesan if desired. Serves 4