Beet Risotto

2 medium beets, trimmed
1 bay leaf
1 T. unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. orange zest
1 cup arborio rice
2 T. raspberry or lemon vinegar
pinch sugar
1 T. sour cream or yogurt cheese

Put beets and bay leaf in a saucepan with 4 cups water, bring to a boil, and simmer, covered until the beets are cooked through (about 40 minutes, depending on size). Remove the beets, strain the water and discard the bay leaf, and pour the beet cooking water back into the saucepan.

Skin the beets. Chop 1 beet and set aside. Pure the other beet in a food processor, return to the strained broth, and bring the broth to a simmer. Keep it on a gentle simmer, covered, over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add onion and orange zest, and saute over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the chopped beet and stir well. Add the rice and stir until it's well coated with the seasonings and glistening, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and stir until it evaporates, about 2 minutes.

Using a ladle, add about 1 cup hot broth. Stir constantly over medium heat until the broth has been absorbed. Add another ladleful and keep stirring until it's been absorbed. Continue the process, adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring this way until kernels are plump and no longer chalk white in center. This should take 25 to 30 minutes altogether. It's almost done when the kernels are still separate but starting to bind, and there are pools of broth on the surface. It's done when the liquid has been absorbed, and the kernels are bound in what looks like very ricey, yet somewhat creamy, rice pudding.

When the risotto is done, stir in the sugar, sour cream or yogurt cheese, and stir well to blend.

This is from Diane Shaw's Almost Vegetarian. My changes: double the butter (I used salted), used balsamic vinegar (what I had), add more water after the broth is gone, skip the sugar, and just about triple the sour cream. We added a bit of salt at the end, and grated some fresh parmesan on top. Very nice.