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Not for the shy, this bright magenta risotto also tastes real good. Start by roasting a few beets (you only need one, but you can use the rest for beets with gorgonzola and hazelnuts). Wash the beets, trim the ends, and wrap them together in foil. Set the foil package in a roasting pan and cook them at 400 for an hour or so until they're tender. Let cool, peel, and dice one of them finely for the risotto.
In a 3-4 quart microwave-suitable bowl (like Pyrex), combine a cup of arborio rice, a finely chopped shallot, and a couple of tablespoons or so of olive oil. Cook this for about 3 minutes (I always use combinations of the same digit-3:33, 2:22, 99-so I don't have to hunt around the microwave keypad).
Add the chopped beet and a healthy splash from your 3 cups of hot chicken stock. Stir well, and nuke again for 3:33 (you're using the microwave risotto technique....purists can stand over the stove, stirring constantly while adding a ladleful of stock at a time and letting the rice absorb it...believe me, you won't notice the difference all that much).
Continue this little ritual of adding some stock (say a half-cup), stirring vigorously, and pushing 3-3-3 on the microwave until most of the stock is used up. The rice should still be firm, but taste like it's done (you may need a bit more stock if it's not). Add the last bit of stock and stir well, but don't cook it again...you want a little bit of starchy sauce, not soupy, but moist.
Stir in about a cup of uncut arugula, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan.