Red Chard Risotto Recipes

RED RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Scrub the beets and place them on a sheet of aluminum foil. Fold up the edges of the foil to seal in the beets. Place the package on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Let cool.
• Peel the beets and chop them. You should have about 2 cups. (The beets can be prepared a day or two ahead and refrigerated.)
• In a wide saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil over very low heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and golden, 10 to 20 minutes. Do not let it brown.
• Add the rice to the onion and stir for 2 minutes, or until hot. Add the wine and cook and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add the beets and cook for 1 minute. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition. After about 10 minutes, stir in salt and pepper to taste. Continue to add broth and stir until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite. If you run out of broth, use hot water.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in one more 1/2 cup of broth. The risotto should be creamy and moist, not dry. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until melted. Serve immediately.

RED CHARD RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Cover and keep warm. Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and chard and stir until chard begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add wine and simmer until absorbed, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups hot broth. Simmer until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently and adding remaining 1/2 cup broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry, about 20 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer risotto to medium bowl. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.

RISOTTO WITH CHARD AND PANCETTA

Steps:

• Combine pancetta and oil in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium. Cook until fat has rendered and the pancetta is golden brown and crisp, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer pancetta to a paper towel-lined plate.
• Add butter to the skillet and let melt over medium heat. Stir in shallot and cook until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chard stems and garlic, and cook until fragrant and golden, 2 minutes.
• Stir in rice and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook until rice is opaque and smells slightly toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Stir in wine and cook until it's absorbed, about 3 minutes. Add stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked through but still has a slight bite, 20 to 27 minutes.
• Add lemon zest and stir until well distributed. Stir in chard leaves and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes longer. If the risotto is too thick, stir in a little water or some more broth (do this until the level of creaminess pleases you; perfect risotto texture is subjective). Stir in Parmesan, then taste and add more salt, if needed.
• Spoon immediately into individual bowls. Sprinkle pancetta on top and finish with more Parmesan and black pepper, if you'd like. Serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.

RISOTTO WITH SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• In a medium pot, heat the stock until it simmers, and keep it hot.
• Heat the oil in a heavy nonstick pot, add the onion, and saute over medium-high heat until the onion softens.
• Stir in the rice, and mix well. Stir in the wine. Cook until the wine has almost evaporated.
• Add 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the rice until most of the liquid has evaporated, stirring often.
• Add more stock, a cup at a time, until the rice is almost tender.
• Stir in the Swiss chard, fennel seeds and 1 more cup of the stock. Continue cooking and stirring until the chard is completely wilted and the rice is tender but firm. Stir in the cheese, and serve.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH SWISS CHARD, RADISHES, AND PRESERVED LEMON

Steps:

• Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add barley and stir to coat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Add radishes and remaining 3 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition be absorbed before adding more, and simmer, stirring frequently, until barley is tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Add chard and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon and season with salt. Remove from heat and stir in herbs. Serve warm or at room temperature.