BEETROOT AND FETA RISOTTO

 (serves 6)

Ingredients

400 g supa fino Arborio rice

4 crushed garlic cloves

100 g finely diced shallots

100 g diced feta (1cm cubes)

1. 7 litres vegetable stock

30 ml olive oil

150 g diced butter

80 g Parmesan cheese finely grated

4 medium sized beetroots

Method

Roast the beetroot with the skin still on until tender.

Allow to cool and then peel and dice into 1cm cubes.

Divide the diced beetroot into halves.

Bring the vegetable stock to the boil and add one half of the beetroot.

Allow to simmer for 20 minutes and strain to discard the beetroot.

Bring the now beetroot flavored vegetable stock back to the boil.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan heat the olive oil then add the shallots and garlic.

Sauté the garlic and shallots with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds and then add rice.

Keep the rice moving gently.

Ladle in 200 ml of the stock, stirring periodically.

Adjust the temperature of the rice to a medium heat whilst keeping the stock boiling.

Add one ladle full of stock to the rice at a time, making sure the previous stock is absorbed before adding the next ladle of stock.

Keep tasting the rice to get to the texture you require.

Add the remaining diced beetroot, butter, feta and Parmesan.

Add salt and pepper to taste then allow the risotto to sit for two minutes

serve with Pettavel Platina Merlot Petit Verdot

The rich ripe red fruits, perfumed elegance and silky smooth texture of the Merlot Petit Verdot matches the elegant perfume of the Risotto and balances the clean crisp flavours of the feta cheese.