Risotto is my meal of choice when I’m aiming to impress! And this year for Valentine’s Day we’re staying in and I’ll be whipping up this Carrot and Parmesan Risotto, a grilled steak and a salad!
Don’t worry – your go-to Valentine’s Day Menu is coming to the blog on Friday… but in the meantime, I wanted to wrap everyones head around Carrot and Parmesan Risotto. I’m a risotto kinda gal. I’ve made it every which way under the sun and I’ll never tire of it. But let’s rewind a bit, shall we?
Back when I first started culinary school, I was the pickiest eater known to man. I ate buttered noodles for most of my life and when we got to the vegetable section of culinary school, I was tasked with making a mushroom dish. First – mushrooms? I almost died. I had never had them before and what on earth was I supposed to do with a fungus? Second – I wasn’t allowed to pair it with something I was comfortable making. So pasta went right out the window. My culinary school teacher laughed at me and told me if I didn’t man up, I’d never make it in the culinary world. Obviously, being the competitive person I am, took that as a personal challenge and went to town. I made what I consider to be the best risotto ever and topped it with caramelized mushrooms. Life was forever changed. And I’ve been on the risotto train ever since. Today it’s all about carrots and parmesan because we eat with our eyes first and this is GORGEOUS! So, don’t be scared about making risotto – and if you still are, tune into snapchat on Friday cause I’ll be whipping one up live and can take your questions.
Over and out.
Carrot and Parmesan Risotto
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 7 cups chicken stock warmed
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 3 tbsp mascarpone
- 1/3 cup chives
- coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a marge heavy bottom pot over medium high heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and stir to combine. Add the shredded carrots and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add the arborio rice and stir to coat the rice with the butter. Cook the rice for about 2 minutes until the outer edges of the rice are translucent and the middle still white. Pour in the white wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine has evaporated.
- Add 1 cup of the chicken stock and cook until the stock has evaporated. Repeat this step a few times until you've used all of the stock. The rice should look almost like a porridge and have just a slight bit of a bite when tasted.
- Add Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese and chives and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking
Orange and blue were my school colors:-)…carrots and risotto together sound very comforting. The chives are a nice addition – it all reminds me of spring!
A sock knocker offer?! I’m in! This looks awesome!
You are so funny! Love the color combo! 😉
yay for carrot risotto! i was hoping i would see one 🙂
risotto is so delicious and creamy, this combo looks great! And I love that Le Creuset color!
I’m so glad you felt the need to color-coordinate, because this combination looks fantastic! Mmm. 🙂
Yes and yes and yes and yes.
And yes.
Anything w/ mascarpone cheese in it is awesome in my book. Yummy risotto!
Oh yum! Creamy carrot goodness right here.
WOn’t judge you at all! This is me every night. Love this dish!
Love Blue and Orange and Love the Carrot Risotto- best comfort food ever!
Can you color coordinate all my meals! Genius!
I am bookmarking this recipe as something to prepare after one of my long races. I’ll need the veggies, carbs and fat. Mmmm!
Love carrots and chives together. Add in some risotto and heaven!
When can you make this for me?
Gorgeous!!! That looks absolutely amazing!
Great recipe on a moment’s notice, G! I love making carrot risotto and the truffle salt sounds like a fab addition!
You know I’m all about ORANGE! x
Such a pretty risotto ~ bet it tastes amazing!
I love anything risotto! Can’t wait to try this!
I am sure the sweet mascarpone complements the sweet carrots nicely. Truffle salt to add contrast and richness…. OOOO you cooked up a masterpiece here!
That’s only funny because I spent the afternoon dreaming up egg dishes to make because I just got the cutest glass egg tray from Anthropologie that I’m dying to use in a photo!
I lurve risotto so much! Like this.
Risotto is so comforting! Great way to incorporate some added nutrients and color!
I would have never though to add mascarpone to risotto. It’s genius actually.
Risotto seems almost too good to be true!
Risotto is one of the ultimate comfort foods for me…especially with a nice glass of wine! Here is an opportunity where we can take a weighty food and pair it with a weighty white wine. The sweet character of the carrot will do well with the tropical flavors of a Viognier. Delicious.
I made this tonight, and it was awesome!
nice!! glad to hear it 🙂
I LOVE risotto!! This will be perfect for my over wintering carrots that I will now dig up!
A bowl of comfort!