How-to Video: Valentine's Day Red Beetroot Risotto with Goat's Cheese

Beetroot has been considered a potent aphrodisiac for hundreds of years, which makes this simple recipe such a hit for V-Day. To create this recipe you'll need Beet It beetroot juice that's packed full of the mineral boron which helps produce all sorts of stimulating chemicals in the brain. It's a tad on the pricey side (Tesco's do their own cheaper version here), but guaranteed to pack a flavourful punch.



Cook along using the how-to video above by HelloFresh.co.uk Head Chef, Patrick Drake, or use the simple recipe below...

Beetroot Risotto

Cooking time: 40 Minutes

200g Risotto Rice
200ml Beet It Beetroot Juice
1 Vegetable Stock Cube
3 Tbsp Hard Italian Cheese
1 Beetroot
50g Mild Goat's Cheese
2 Teaspoons of Butter
Half a Cup of Finely Diced Onion
1 Clove Garlic
2 Tbsps Chopped Parsley
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar

Method:

Boil a medium size pot of water. Peel and finely the onion and the garlic. Peel and chop your beetroot into tiny cubes (less than 1cm). Crumble the goat's cheese and finely chop 2 tbsps of parsley.

Measure out 800ml of the boiling water and discard the rest. Dissolve your stock cube in the water. Put this back in the pan on the lowest heat to keep warm. Add 200ml of the beetroot juice to the pan.

Set hob to medium/low heat. Pour 1 tbsp of vinegar and 1 tbsp of water your smallest pan. Add the cubed beetroot for 5 minutes to warm it through. Remove the pan from the heat and keep to the side for later.

Set hob to medium/low heat. Heat two tbsp of olive oil and two tsp of butter in a non-stick pan. Add the onion and garlic, stir thoroughly and gently cook and stir for around 5 minutes. Next add the rice for a few minutes and coat it in the oil.

When the rice has a little bit of translucency around the edges and the onion has softened up add in half a glass of white wine if you have some. Bubble the wine away for around 30 seconds. If you don't have wine just skip straight to step 6.

Add half a cup of your beetroot stock mixture into the rice. Stir it with long, massaging motions using a wooden spoon until the stock has almost disappeared, then add another half cupful. Repeat this process until all the stock is used (around 20 minutes).

Taste the rice (be careful it's hot!). The rice should be soft yet with a slight firmness in the centre. If the risotto is not cooked through then add a little more water. Fold in 1 tbsp of your chopped parsley, the final tsp of butter and the grated hard cheese.

Taste once more for seasoning and add a little salt and pepper if necessary. Your risotto should have a nice runny consistency. Serve it into bowls and top with crumbled goat's cheese, beetroot cubes and parsley.

The ingredients for this romantic dish will be included in HelloFresh.co.uk's aphrodisiac Valentine's Day box, £39, which must be ordered by midnight on Wednesday 6 February for delivery on Tuesday 12 February. You can get £10 by using the code FRESHLOVE at the checkout.

Will you give this a try? Leave a comment below to be in with a chance of winning a £100 goodie bag

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