There are the Seven Wonders of the world: Great Pyramids of Giza, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, Taj Mahal of India, Great Wall of China, Chichen Itza of Mexico, Statue of Zeus at Olympia.
These marvels are a testament to the beauty created by human endeavor and perseverance in the toughest of times. They represent the pride we carry in our history and heritage. It’s why thousands of us trek scores of miles to see these masterpieces.
But maybe we don’t have to travel so far. Just maybe, unnoticed, there are hidden treasures right on our doorstep. Wondrous gems that signify heritage and heart and human resilience. How do we find, recognize, and embrace them? There’s no sure answer
But this weekend, at the Farmer’s Market in San Jose, amidst the hustle and bustle of green beans competing with exotic white waxy ones, mango peaches bumping against regular purple plums, and purple capsicum hugging its varie-colored peers, I came close. I brushed shoulders with heart and humanity.
It started as a mix of feelings. A sense of deja ja vu mingled with a niggling sense of something else…something hard to define.
The nostalgia wasn’t hard to explain. Farmers Markets are after all one of the most ancient human traditions, tracing back over 5000 years ago, when community members gathered along the Nile river in Egypt to exchange produce and news. And as recent as the 1980s, these bazaars thrived in the India I grew up in, bringing diverse swathes of people together in joyful harmony.
That was the past. But this niggling hard-to-define feeling, as I stared at the Golden Beets nestled under the Giant White Bittermelon, wasn’t about rolling back time. And it wasn’t just my mind waxing poetic at the extraordinary produce. Instead, it was tied to the cheery mien of the farmers in their masks, the fair-like atmosphere of moms chasing kids, the young man rushing to assist the elderly woman who stumbled, despite the social distancing.
It was, I realized, the niggling feeling of hope! Of hope that with effort and compassion, and teamwork, things would grow back even in this crisis. It was the nascent conviction that the vibrant things we plant will bring new seasons, with new unexpected wonders.
So maybe the Great Pyramids of Giza are out for now, but Purple Capsicum of Campbell, anyone? Or maybe the Lemon Cucumbers of Los Gatos? Or how about the Mango Peaches of Mountainview?
Or wait wait wait, how about the Golden Beets of Sunnyvale, which inspired this post?
Sweet and Earthy Roasted Golden Beets Risotto
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins.
- Yield: 4 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Golden beets are roasted in olive oil, then blended with fennel and veggie stock into a fragrant broth, and finally cooked with arborio rice to create a sweet earthy risotto. It’s so creamy that butter and cheese are optional.
Ingredients
3 med. golden beets
1 cup arborio rice
2 tbsp. butter (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, small diced
1/2 cup fennel, small diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste (approximately 1 1/2-2 tsp.)
1/8 cup grated parmesan (optional)
1/8 cup finely chopped cilantro
5 cups veggie stock
Instructions
Creating the Stock:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut each of the beets into 1/8th pieces. Transfer them to a baking pan, drizzle 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Roast in the oven for 20-25 mins. until the beets are tender.
- Set aside 1/2 cup beets. Transfer the rest of the beets to a blender along with 1/2 cup chopped fennel and 5 cups veggie stock. Blend to a smooth broth. This could take 3-4 mins. If you have a smaller blender and are unable to get the liquid completely smooth, pass through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth before proceeding to the next step.
- Chop the 1/2 cup beets into 2 cm. pieces. Set broth and chopped beets aside.
Making the Risotto:
- Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a pan over med. heat. Once the butter is melted, add 1 tbsp. olive oil to the pan. If not using butter, subsitute with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Â
- Add 1/2 cup shallots, 1/2 cup chopped beets and minced garlic. Season with 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Cook for 3 mins.Â
- Add 1 cup arborio rice. Mix with the veggies and toast for 3-4 mins.
- Toss in 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar and cook for 3-4 mins.
- Add 1 cup broth and cook until it is absorbed, stirring the rice while it cooks. This should take approximately 3 mins.
- Add 2nd cup broth and repeat, stirring rice until broth is absorbed, This should take approximately 5-6 mins.
- Add 3rd cup broth and repeat. Again, it should take approximately 6 mins. for broth to be absorbed.
- Season rice with 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper.
- Add 4th cup broth. Keep stirring until broth is absorbed. Â
- Taste rice. Assess how much broth is needed to finish rice–approximatley 1/2 cup broth. Also adjust seasoning–adding approximately 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper.
- Turn off the stove. If using butter and cheese, toss in and stir until fully mixed.
- Garnish with the cilantro!
- Delicious sweet and earthy golden beets risotto is ready!
Notes
- If golden beets are unavailable, butternut squash is a better substitute than red beets. Â
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 377
- Sugar: 6.9
- Sodium: 1958
- Fat: 13.8
- Saturated Fat: 5.4
- Carbohydrates: 51
- Fiber: 3.1
- Protein: 12.1
- Cholesterol: 17
Keywords: risotto, arborio, rice, beetroot risotto, mushroom risotto, italian risotto, creamy risotto, beet risotto, italian rice, vegetarian risotto, vegan risotto, vegetarian italian, vegan italian
Eating With Your Eyes:
Then repeat until 4th cup of stock is absorbed.
More Golden Beets Recipes:
- Simple rosemary infused golden beets at https://holycowvegan.net/roasted-golden-beets-rosemary-garlic/
More Creamy Risotto Recipes:
- Creamy Mushroom Risotto at https://veggiemashups.com/mushroom-risotto/
Delicious!