Roasted Sweet Potato, Browned Butter and Bacon Risotto

Another risotto recipe! I had to try it - I LOVE risotto!!  You HAVE tried the others I posted earlier, right?  What? Really - get going - risotto is a bit of a pain 'cuz you can't just throw it in the pot - you have to keep stirring (but if you have kids, THAT is an excellent way to have them help get dinner on the table.) 

Remember - it's just about adding liquid slowly and stirring, then adding more liquid.  The next time you are roasting potatoes, throw an extra sweet potato in and save it for this recipe!  BTW, this was really yummy with a piece of roast chicken.  Next time, I think I'm going to do this with a steak.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Browned Butter and Bacon Risotto

Ingredients:
1 medium sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, diced (or 2 T. onion)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice (MUST be arborio. Other rices don't have the starch to make this work)

1 1/3 cups dry white wine
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons browned butter
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 tablespoons (total) chopped fresh herbs: sage, parsley + rosemary (or 1 T dried)


Procedure:

Roast a sweet potato, scoop out all flesh and mash with 1 t olive oil, S/P, nutmeg and smoked paprika. Increase the oven heat to 400° after you remove your potato (you can peel it, cube it and toss with the mixture before roasting, but I found this was much easier!)

While the potato is roasting, cook the bacon, chop the herbs and shallots, brown 2 T of butter and heat the stock in a saucepan

Heat a large saucepan, or dutch oven (or my chicken fryer!  Love that pan!!) and add 2 T oil, 2 T butter (NOT the browned!!), shallots and a pinch of salt - stir and cook for 3 minutes

Add the garlic and cook and stir for 30 seconds

Increase the heat a bit and stir in the rice until it's coated.  Cook (stirring now and then) for 5 minutes - it will turn translucent and begin to toast a bit.

Reduce the heat and stir in the wine.  Cook and stir as the rice absorbs the wine.

When the liquid is almost completely absorbed, add 1/3 of the stock.  Cook - stir - absorb.  Repeat.  Cook - stir - repeat.  (Process takes about 25 minutes (ish).  If the rice is still chewy, add a little more liquid.  You don't want the rice too mushy or too firm.

Once the rice is cooked, reduce heat to low and stir in about 3/4 cup the sweet potato puree. Take a few minutes and really stir so it is well-absorbed. Stir in the parmesan cheese and brown butter, mixing to combine.

To serve, place the risotto in a bowl and top with some additional cheese, a sprinkling of herbs, the crumbled bacon and then more herbs and cheese if desired. Serve immediately!

Serves 4