Sweet Potato Risotto with Balsamic Vinegar
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Sweet Potato Risotto with Balsamic Vinegar
My love affair with risotto goes deeper than a simple passion for its creamy texture and irresistible savory bite, it’s embedded in my DNA. I was born and raised in the heart of Pianura Padana in the Lombardy region of Italy, where rice grows abundant and where each lombardo d.o.c (citizen of Lombardy) takes sensational pride in cooking the humble produce of our, otherwise slightly dull, flat land. Risotto is our staple dish. We may have it simply flavored with Grana Padano cheese (similar to the more notable Parmigiano, and just as delightful), or we may turn it into a more sumptuous meal with the addition of saffron strands and slow cooked ossobuco. No matter what the add-ons, and I can’t stress this vehemently enough, there will never be a worthy risotto without a great stock. This is the one time I advocate commitment in the kitchen and ditch cubes and salty powders in flavor of a wholesome home-made stock, may it be vegetable, chicken , beef or a mix of the three. Don’t skimp here, the secret to a flavoursome risotto lies in its stock. The rest is a simple act of patience, better achieved with a glass of wine in the hand that is not busy stirring the rice…
INGREDIENTS
serves 4
For the roasted sweet potato
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2-3 sweet potatoes (depending on their size), cut into chunks, skin on (well brushed)
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a few springs of thyme and rosemary
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1 garlic clove, skin on, bashed with the back on a knife
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2 tablespoons of EVOO (Extra-virgin olive oil)
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1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
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salt to season
For the risotto
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1 brown onion, finely chopped
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2 tablespoons of EVOO
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320 gr of Carnaroli or arborio rice
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1/4 cup of dry white wine
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4-5 cups of chicken, beef or vegetable stock (preferably home-made)
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the roasted sweet potatoes
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1 tablespoon of butter
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1/4 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese