Beetroot Risotto, Spring Onions and Goats Cheese

Ingredients
400g Arborio Rice


1 small Onion, chopped


2 cloves of Garlic, chopped

200g Butter


3 pints Vegetable Stock


100g Goats Cheese


3 large Beetroot


100ml Red Wine
100ml Red Wine Vinegar


200g Sugar
1 bunch Spring Onions, chopped

Method

Start by peeling all the beetroot; dice two of them and place in a saucepan, cover with water and add a little salt. Slice the third one as thin as possible and then into thin strips.

Add the vinegar, sugar and red wine to a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Take off the heat and stir in the shredded beetroot. Chill until needed.

For the risotto, heat a large non-stick saucepan. Add a splash of oil with half of the butter. Once the butter is foaming, add the onion and garlic. Stir until soft, then add the Arborio rice and continue cooking until lightly coloured. Pour in the vegetable stock a bit at a time until it is completely absorbed and the rice is just cooked. Check the boiled beetroot is soft and then add to a blender. Blend till smooth and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, re-warm the risotto adding a little more vegetable stock if needed and a little of the pickling liquid. Fold in the Parmesan and then the beetroot purée to taste.

Divide between four plates. Sprinkle over the spring onion together with a good spoon full of the pickled beetroot. Finish the dish with some crumbled goats cheese.