
Beetroot is one of those few vegetables which has the rare ability to reflect almost all seasons, depending on the recipe and the other ingredients in a dish. When it teams up with broad beans, however, it is definitely early summer. Time to iron the old swimming togs again in the vain hope that this will be the year. Treat yourself, buy a new pair – word from the soothsayers is that it will indeed be a scorching summer. Maybe.
We add roasted beets to the cooking stock of this risotto to intensify the flavour and colour. It isn’t always necessary, especially if you have freshly picked, juicy beets. But you wouldn’t thank me if I gave you a recipe that turned out grey-pink as beetroot dishes can do when the beets are old. We’ve got a small supply of early beets from Gortnanain Farm – tunnel grown primarily for their lucky guests at the B&B – beets that need only look at a risotto to turn it a deep purple.
I’ve suggested some fresh cheese to finish the dish – we use Bluebell Falls goat’s cheese or Knockalara sheep’s cheese, both mild, subtle and lightly acidic.
200ml (7fl oz) olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
500g beetroots, cooked and peeled
1300ml vegetable stock
4-6 small shallots, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
300g carnaroli or arborio rice
120ml red wine
60g butter
200g podded broad beans
120g fresh cheese, crumbled



