Golden Carrot Risotto Recipes

ROASTED CARROT AND ONION RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the carrots, onion and ginger with 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper on a baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth with 3 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Keep it just under a simmer. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the rice is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until the wine is fully absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add about 1/2 cup warm broth. Cook, stirring, until the broth is almost absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and stirring until all of the broth has been incorporated and the rice is tender, but not mushy, about 25 minutes total. Stir in the butter, a few cubes at a time, until melted and the risotto is creamy.
• Roughly chop half of the roasted vegetables and stir them into the risotto. Spoon into bowls and garnish with the remaining vegetables and fresh thyme if using.

CARROT RISOTTO

Steps:

• Risotto: Strain the stock to yield 6 cups (add water to the stock if necessary) and place in stock pot over low heat to simmer. Finely dice the onion half; then peel and mince the garlic. In a skillet, heat olive oil to rippling, add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add the rice and stir to toast. Continue to move it around the pan so it doesn't stick to the bottom, about 7 minutes.
• When the rice has grown translucent from absorbing the oil, add wine and stir until it evaporates; do the same with the lemon juice. Once the pan is fairly dry, slowly ladle the simmering carrot stock into the rice in one-cup increments (rice and stock need to be same temperature). Stir until the liquid has been incorporated before adding the next cup. Don't rush it: you want to let the carrot flavor slowly develop. (This is the trick to cooking risotto: take it slow!)
• When you have two cups of stock left in the saucepan, pour the carrot juice into the stock and stir until it's incorporated. Then, add the next cup of the carrot juice/stock mixture to the rice and incorporate. When you have one cup of the mixture left, stir the diced carrots into the rice before adding the final cup of liquid.
• Finish the dish: When the rice looks creamy and there's no liquid sloshing around, add salt, butter, and half of the Pecorino. (Omit butter and Pecorino for vegan eaters.) Spoon onto a serving plate, sprinkle with the thyme and remaining Pecorino, and serve.
• Peel, trim, and roughly chop the onion and carrots, and roughly chop celery; add to stock pot. Smash garlic cloves to remove peel, then add to pot. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain and reserve liquid, discarding solids.

CARAMELIZED CARROT RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in a medium heavy bottomed pot; add carrots and stir with a wooden spoon until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the sugar; cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and carrots are just starting to turn brown, a few minutes more. Reserve half of the carrots. In a blender, puree other half with 3/4 cup hot water.
• Bring chicken broth to a simmer and keep at a simmer, covered, over low heat.
• Heat remaining oil and butter over medium heat in same (unwashed) pot used for carrots. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat rice with oil, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine evaporates. Add carrot puree and cook, stirring, until mixture no longer looks soupy.
• Add 1/2 cup hot broth, stirring often, until rice absorbs most of the liquid. Repeat process, adding 1/2 cup broth at a time and stirring often till each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (about 20 minutes; at least 1 cup broth will remain).
• Fold in reserved carrots (save 2 tablespoons for garnish), mascarpone, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 tablespoon parsley, and the thyme. Add up to 1 cup broth (1/4 cup at a time) to loosen the risotto. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
• Sprinkle each bowl of risotto with some of the remaining1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon parsley, and the reserved carrots. Serve immediately.

ORIENTAL-STYLE CARROT RISOTTO WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Sauté shallot and carrots in olive oil until the shallots are translucent.
• Add rice, raisins and cinnamon stick.
• Sauté until rice is translucent.
• Add broth, bring to a slow boil, cover and boil for about 35 minutes on low heat.
• Turn off heat, let stand for about 1 hour before serving. Depending on the broth it may be necessary to add some salt to taste before serving.