Risotto with whole baby beets

Welcome to my baby beet party...

Risotto with whole baby beets
by Gray Apron
time: 30 minutes

 ingredients 
1 1/2 cup rice (I used basmanti)
4 cups boiling water with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 bunches (about 400 g) baby beets
pinch coarse salt and sugar
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 scallion, chopped
30 g (2 Tablespoons) butter, diced
30 g (1 oz) Parmesan, grated
zest from 1 medium lemon, grated
parsley for finishing

 instructions 
Preheat oven to 235C/450F (fan forced function). Cut off root beets with a part of the stems. Chop the rest of the stem and leaves. Slice the roots. Arrange them on a baking dish, drizzle with 1 Tbs olive oil, a couple of pinches salt and sugar. Set it in the hot oven for 12 minutes. Remove the dish from the heat and put it aside. Meanwhile...

In a medium pot, heat oil on medium heat. Add scallions and beet stems (without the leaves), sauté for 5 minutes. Add rice, sauté for 5 minutes. Pour in a cup of boiling, salted water. Mix till all water absorbed. Keep adding water (about 1/2 cup at the time) and mixing for about 25 minutes till all water used.  5 minutes before the end, add chopped beet leaves. Take risotto off the heat, incorporate butter, Parmesan and lemon zest. Check the seasoning and serve with roasted roots around and parsley on top.

NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

• a very refreshing and delicious Spring dish;
• there is subtle sweetness from the roots and Parmesan and the green taste from the leaves;
• lemons zest adds a necessary kick;
• roasted baby roots are one of my favorite things to eat these days; 
• not blanding them with the rice here, gave me something pretty to look it and gave the risotto an exciting color and flavor accent.