Photo: vogue.it

Presentation

Second course consisting of a risotto prepared with rice, beetroot, extra virgin olive oil, onion, garlic, vegetable broth, soft goat’s cheese and walnuts.

Ingredients

Serves 2

Cooked beetroot (fresh or pre-cooked) – 300 g (10.6 oz / ≈ 2 cups diced)

Extra-virgin olive oil – 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz)

Onion – 1 large (≈ 150 g / 5.3 oz), thinly sliced

Garlic – 3–4 cloves (≈ 10–15 g / 0.35–0.5 oz), thinly sliced

Risotto rice or brown rice – 200 g (7 oz / ≈ 1 cup)

Vegetable stock (hot) – 600 ml (20.3 fl oz / ≈ 2½ cups)

Soft goat’s cheese – 60 g (2.1 oz / ≈ ¼ cup crumbled)

Walnuts, chopped – 100 g (3.5 oz / ≈ 1 cup)

Method

Wash and cut the beets, without peeling them.

Place them in a large saucepan and cover them completely with water.

Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat

Put the lid on and simmer until tender. It should take between 30 and 40 minutes, depending on the thickness.

Let the beets cool

Peel and slice them.

Heat the oil in a medium baking dish and sauté the garlic and onion until softened

Add the rice and toast it for another 2 to 3 minutes, until slightly translucent grains.

Add a drop of water and stir

Lower the heat, add the hot broth with the ladle, stirring the rice regularly

When the broth is almost finished and the rice is cooked (after 15 -20 minutes) add the beetroot pieces and half of the goat’s cheese

Stir

Continue to cook for another 5 minutes then turn off the heat.

Toast the walnuts in a pan over medium heat for 2 to 4 minutes, turning them regularly

Serve the risotto garnished with a handful of toasted walnut pieces, the rest of the goat’s cheese and a crispy green salad.

Allergens

Garlic: very rare cases of garlic reactivity reported

Beetroot : possible individual intolerance

Vegetable broth: check the composition for celery or other allergenic ingredients

Onion: possible reactivity in case of nickel allergy due to the vegetable’s ability to concentrate it

Goat cheese: milk allergens

Walnuts: included among the allergens in EU Regulation 1169/2011

Extra virgin olive oil: unusual allergy; intolerance not described

Rice: (allergy very common in the Far East, almost unknown in Italy and Europe). Possible cross-reaction in case of grass sensitivity

Notes

To be prepared and handled under strict hygienic conditions.

The ingredients of the dish bring the following benefits:

Garlic: has immune-stimulating properties, promotes liver function and the elimination of waste metabolites. It also has hypocholesterolemic, lipid-lowering, antiplatelet, hypotensive and hypoglycemic properties that promote cardiac function.

Beetroot: it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, favorable to the functioning of the immune system, purifying favorable to the proper functioning of the liver and favorable to hematopoiesis and improvement of cardiovascular circulation. It provides folic acid linked to the production of serotonin and therefore favorable to good mood and counteract depression

Vegetable broth: provides minerals, especially sodium and potassium, useful for regulating heart function and water retention.

Onion: it is rich in selenium which supports the immune system and with the ability to stabilize blood glucose at normal values; it provides quercetin, a flavonoid that helps contain cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood, parameters related to cardiovascular risk, which also supports liver function by promoting the purification of the body. Also indicated for nephropathic patients, it is a good diuretic that prevents kidney stones. Especially if consumed with the peel, it provides folic acid linked to the production of serotonin and therefore favorable to good mood and counteract depression

Goat’s cheese: useful for the functioning of the liver for the contribution of vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants. The presence of tryptophan helps to counteract depression. Contribution of useful flora, protection and proper functioning of the intestine.

Walnuts: Zinc carriers, an element favourable to the proper functioning of the immune system; also suitable for nephropathic patients. Useful for the functioning of the liver for the supply of vitamins, mineral salts and antioxidants. Useful for the functioning of the liver for the supply of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and vitamin E and rich in omega 3 fatty acids that fight the increase in blood pressure and the presence of bad cholesterol. Rich in magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids important for regulating mood and cognitive function

Sunflower oil: source of Vitamin E that protects the immune system from harmful fatty acids. Useful for liver function for the supply of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids

Rice: due to its modest protein content, it is suitable for nephropathic and phenylketonuric patients; since it is an antiuric food, it is recommended in case of gout and hyperuricemia. It stimulates the synthesis of serotonin which counteracts depression and promotes good mood

Safety / Intended use

Product also intended for subjects with:

• Mucositis only well cooked
• Xerostomia (dry mouth) if well cooked
• Dysphagia (only if in pieces of uniform size and consistency)

Not recommended in case of:

• Diarrhea