Beetroot & Buckwheat Risotto with Pinenuts

If you've not tried buckwheat risotto, you're in for a treat. It's quite unlike traditional risotto in that buckwheat retains quite a chew. Now buckwheat as you may know, is both gluten free and grain free - it's actually classed as a seed and is a cousin of rhubarb, strangely enough! Its high fibre and nutrient dense making this a wonderful alternative to rice, especially if you're trying to spice up the weekly menu.

This has to be one of the prettiest risottos you'll likely ever serve up. It'd be wonderful paired with a leafy green salad. 

Serves 4

5 beetroots, peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces
2 tbs coconut or olive oil
3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup whole raw buckwheat
5 cups vegetable broth or stock (or chicken)
2 tbs butter
2 tbs fresh chives
3 tbs pine nuts, toasted and chopped roughly
A good couple of pinches of salt, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste

Steam beetroot until tender, set aside.

Heat coconut oil in a saucepan, add onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until soft. Add rice and buckwheat and stir to coat in oil and toast lightly (2 mins).

Simmer stock in another saucepan.

Add stock to the rice a cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid until rice is just tender. It should take about 30 mins.

Stir in beetroot, butter and half of the chives and pine nuts. Add final cup of stock and keep stirring until absorbed.

Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 mins (with the lid on). Sprinkle on the remaining pine nuts and chives to serve. Enjoy!

Now, if you enjoy a buckwheat risotto I highly encourage you to give my porcini mushroom and kale risotto a run. Its YUM.