Creamy Carrot Goat Cheese Risotto
Source: Hollie Greene, JoyFoodly.com
Recipe Type: Entrees | Seasons: Spring, Summer
This recipe was demonstrated for CUESA’s Market to Table program on April 12, 2014.
Serves 6
If you cannot find goat milk at your local grocery store, use a mixture of ½ vegetable broth and ½ cow’s milk. Brown rice from Massa Organics will probably make a nice substitute for Arborio rice in this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
4 carrots
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
½ large or 1 small yellow onion
Small bunch Italian parsley
5 cups goat milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
8 ounces chèvre goat cheese
PREPARATION
1. In order to be better organized, get out all of your ingredients and your measuring and cooking equipment. Place them on a cookie sheet within easy reach of your prep area.
2. Wash, peel, and chop the carrots. Place them in a food processor or blender with the thyme leaves and pulse until finely minced. If you don’t have a food processor or blender, use a cheese grater to grate the carrots and chop the thyme with a knife. Set them aside.
3. Peel and dice the onion. Set it aside.
4. Wash and chop the parsley and set it aside. You will use it to garnish the risotto.
5. In a medium-sized pot, bring the goat milk to a simmer. Once at a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cover. This will be your broth for the risotto, so it needs to stay warm.
6. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat and sauté the onion until soft but not brown (about 2 to 3 minutes).
7. Add the rice to the onion and butter and cook it, stirring continuously, until the rice is toasted on the outside (about 1 to 2 minutes).
8. Raise the heat to medium and add the white wine. Cook, stirring continuously, until the wine has been absorbed into the rice.
9. Stir in the minced carrots and thyme.
10. Add a ladleful (approximately ½ cup) of the warm goat milk to the rice. Cook, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this step until you have used up all of the goat milk and the rice is al dente. Season to taste with the salt.
11. Turn off the heat under the rice and add the crumbled goat cheese, stirring it into the risotto. Serve immediately with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.
No-Waste Leftover Tip
If you have risotto left, roll it into little balls with your hands and coat them in breadcrumbs. Pan-fry in a non-stick pan with a little oil for about 10 minutes, turning frequently while cooking. It’s a heavenly treat!
Tips for Little Hands
There are plenty of ways kids can get involved in the making of the risotto:
• Ask kids to measure out the ingredients (show them how to use measuring cups).
• Have them help you stir (and stir and stir) the risotto while you add the goat milk.
• They can crumble the goat cheese into a bowl with their hands.
• They can grate the carrots if you’re not using a food processor.
• Have them stir in the carrots and watch the risotto turn bright orange!
• Have them taste it so they can see how yummy it is before you serve it to everyone else.
Photo by Joyfoodly.
