STILL NEW YORK-HUNGRY

29. Nonna Stella's Rohnen-Risotto (shrieking pink carbs)

Yeah, I know you might get bored by now that I sometimes return to the food I love, but when I cooked that one I needed soul food... and that I cooked.

Also you Americans love food in shrieking colors, so shut up.

By the way, the shrieking color here comes from – unfortunately only the juice, but that in organic quality – red beets, one of my fave vegs.

They are also the Rohnen in the title. This is the variation of the original German expression (= Rote Beete), which is used in South Tirol, the northernmost Italian province, where German is official language, though.

Why would lead too far now. I wanna FEED you, not BORE you.

Also it's my Novel / Story series' MMC, Vince Romano's, grandmother's homeland a.k.a. Nonna Stella, who runs a restaurant in the heart of Manhattan's Little Italy with her husband, Aurelio. Both serve mainly classics from their home regions of South Tirol + Rome / Lazio.

And "Rohnen", as well as apple + pumpkin, are VERY popular in South Tirol... and, well, some of my fave fruit and veg, too. They're bursting with vitamins, micronutrients, and other essential nutrients and therefore also very healthy.

The recipe itself, though, I found in the cookbook published by the founders of the German cooking app Kitchen Stories, where founders and followers share their fave recipes, this one having originally only 5 ingredients, but... you know me: not only wordy stories but also a lot cookin' in that Pot.

Also, I have adjusted the quantities of the original recipe, because otherwise just a remnant of risotto rice would've remained and who cooks a decent risotto from a mere handful, right?

And now off to the kitchen; it's SO worth getting the "stirring arm".




Serves: 3-4 (2) main courses

Prep Time: about 1 h

Degree of Difficulty: Easy




WE NEED I used 1.5 times of the quantities; original quantities in parenthesis





500 (350) ml / 17 (11.9) US fl.oz. red beet juice Try to find organic quality or at least NOT artificially flavored juice

375 (250) gr / 13.2 (8.8) oz. risotto rice Arborio or Carnaroli, which I used
2 (1) red onion(s)
2-3 garlic cloves I ADDED those, for more Oomph... and because they needed to be used up!

1.125 (750) ml / 4,7 (3.1) US legal cups veg stock Try to find the instant with the least chemicals. They have the shortest list of ingredients and you don't need a Doctor in Chemistry to read the ingredients' list.

120 (80) ml / 4 (2.75) US fl.oz. white wine I wanted a Pinot Grigio but Chardonnay's okay too.

Salt
Pepper

1-2 tbsp Olive Oil
3-4 tbsp butter

100 gr / 3.5 oz. Parmegiano Reggiano Invest the few dollar more for the real cheese instead of the cheap mix, and in the worst case not even cheese, you get in the dairy case.




WE DO

1. Peel and finely chop onion(s) + garlic. Grate the Parmegiano. In a pot, prep the veg stock and stir in 334 (230) ml / 11.3 (7.75) US fl.oz. of the red beet juice.

2. Heat the olive oil in another pot and sauté the onion for 6 minutes, adding the garlic at Minute 4, otherwise it burns When the onion(s) are glassy, add the risotto rice and gently roast – and stir – everything for another 2 minutes before deglazing with the wine.

3. Add the red stock ladle by ladle, only adding more when the liquid has fully been soaked up by the rice. Stir, stir, stir – until the rice is al dente and the risotto creamy. Change hands! Especially toward the end it's a GREAT arm workout, no s–!

4. Stir in the remaining 166 (120) ml / 5.6 (4) US fl.oz. red beet juice. When that has been soaked up, add the butter, and in the end, the Parmesan. If you like, keep some to sprinkle on top of the risotto when serving.

5. Season with salt + pepper and let the risotto rest in a lidded pot for 15 minutes. As Nonna in the fiction – and my Dad in reality – use(d) to say: After all that spanking, it needs to rest.

6. SERVE!


TIP 1: the best color effect you have in blue / dark crockery.


TIP 2: I didn't get fresh ones as they were out, BUT: Nonna would've added:

– 1,2,3 diced red beets,

– fresh (frozen okay too) herbs; of course, Italian herbs like oregano, thyme, rosemary, ... and

– 1-2 bayleaves for taste

as healthy extras => but remove bayleaves before eating!


ALSO: when you work with red beet – juice + bulb! – wear gloves & an apron/clothes you hate as the stains are permanent!

=> Soak all kitchen materials – pots, bowls/plates, cooking spoons, etc. – immediately in warm water with dish soap upon using, and before putting them through the dish washer!


And NOW:


Buon Appetito & Guten Hunger!