16 Sep Beetroot Risotto With Black Pudding Chorizo recipe
Sweet Comfort From Spain – Beetroot is one of those vegetables, which have slipped out of many people’s diet. These days you can buy them ready cooked or pickled, but there are not too many sexy recipes which make me buy these very healthy vegetables. I love them oven baked with Balsamic vinegar or in an Indian raita and that’s about it. Until I came across a recipe last Christmas in which you combine Beetroot with other root vegetables and fry them. It’s absolutely yummy and my search for beetroot has begun. However, it’s quite a difficult task to find them in its raw version in Cambridge. Almost as difficult as fresh lobster, which you only can buy at the Sea Tree or the Cambridge market!
The other day after meeting up with ‘the Cheese Specialists’ over a cup of coffee at Hot Numbers Coffee, they very kindly sent me a Black pudding Iberica Chorizo. Beetroot Risotto With Black Pudding Chorizo not only tastes delicious but has a lovely smokey smell to it too. I couldn’t wait to unwrap it and tuck into it. At the Sheene Mill they combine it with scallops, but because of the lovely warming flavour, I decided to use it in a recipe with beetroot. I have to admit, that my fellow diners were lucky to find any on their plate as Beetroot Risotto With Black Pudding Chorizo is a delicious snack too!
Ingredients for 4
250 gr. Iberica Black Pudding Chorizo ( you can use normal Chorizo too)
300 gr. Wholewheat Gian Couscous
2 fat Gogmag Hills Farmshop garlic cloves
2 medium-sized carrots
2 chopped medium sized white onions ( if you want to spice it up, you can use red)
1 orange sweet potato
150 gr. celeriac
150 gr. raw beetroot
4 handful of Rocket salad
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tube of tomato puree
2 medium size glasses of red wine ( Shiraz or Merlot)
500 ml of herb stock ( not to be confused with vegetable stock)
Parmesan to garnish
How do you make it?
Cut the root vegetables into small cubes. For this recipe, it is best to use a shallow pan like this one from Jamie Oliver ( 30cm). Smash the garlic and fry the onion and garlic until light brown.
Add the root vegetables and fry until light brown, then add the tomato puree, wine, stock and Giant Couscous and season with salt and pepper. Do make sure the couscous mixture is covered with liquid if during the cooking process it becomes too dry, then it is best to top it up with more stock as otherwise, the couscous will not have the chance to boil.
Although on my package of the Giant Couscous said, that it only needs 6 minutes if you add it to warm stock, this wasn’t correct. I had to cook it for 18 minutes until the couscous was nice and soft.
When the couscous is ready, you can either add the Chorizo to the mixture so it will warm through or put it on top of the couscous. Add some Rocket and Parmesan. Finished and you have a very healthy meal!
Variations
- Use Feta cheese instead of Parmesan
- Vegetarian option – Leave the Chorizo out or use Feta cheese instead.
- Summertime – Chilled it is a very nice salad too!
Enjoy!
Gerla
We are the local experts in creating unique food tours and events with an in-depth knowledge of the local Cambridge food scene and close partnerships with local businesses.
