Beetroot Risotto with fried Tofu & Eggplant

I love Risottos. This one i tried out, since beetroots were in the season and really cheap at stores. They give a lovely color for the risotto. Normally my favourite risotto is basic mushroom risotto, but this one simply got one of my top lists! I served it with fried tofu that i just marinade with soy sauce, pepper, garlic and some herbs and fried it in pan. Also served it with pan fried eggplants and some salad. Here is a recipe how to make this delicious risotto:

• 1 pack of risotto rice (Aborio is good one for risottos)
• About 2- 3 small beetroots
• 1 onion
• Pecorino cheese
• White wine
• Vegetable broth
• Water
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

First mesure about 1 liter water in a pot and add the vegetable broth into it and some pepper and salt. Taste that it has enough salt. Let it come to boil and keep in small heat. Meanwhile peel the onion and beetroots. Cut them both in small cubes. Add some oil on the convex shape pan and add the beetroots in. Let it heat up about  5-10 minutes that the cubes start to get a little soft. Add onions into the mix. Then add the rice. Pour some more oil and start turning the rice over and over until it gets "translucent gloss". Start adding the vegetable broth little by little, that the rice is covered with the broth. Add some white wine, about 1dl is fine, depends how "winy" you like it to taste. Put a lit on and let it boil. Stir the risotto often and add broth when the rice has sucked in the last added broth. Let the risotto cook in medium heat about 30-40 minutes, depending how good stove you have. Remember to stir it a lot, that the rice don't burn. When rice starts to be soften add some grated Pecorino, salt and pepper and stir again. Serve with the tofu or what ever you like, or just eat it like that. Grate some Pecorino on top before eating. Enjoy!

Veggie Burger

I love burgers, well who wouldn't? I love to make different variations of vegetarian burgers. Mostly i use soy-meat ( the fake meat made from soy), tofu or variation of beans. Today i tried out a new recipe. This one, i made up in my head while cooking. That's the way i love to cook. Just use things that you like and you think might go well together! People who are not vegetarians, usually say that you cannot make a good vegetarian versions of some basic meat dishes. That is so not true! The key is to know how to use spices! No one likes a steak that tastes like cardboard, so remember to be bold and just play with the flavours! I made the fries also by myself.

 

Here is what you need for the veggie steaks (8 pc): 

• One packet of Beans ( I used a "Zeta" ecological beans-mix)
• One packet of Red lentils ( I used ready cooked " Go Green" ecological lentils)
• 2 eggs
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Pecorino cheese
• Fresh coriander
• Half red onion
• 1 red chili (or just half if you want it to be milder)
• 1 dl flours
• 1 dl breadcrumps
• Salt & pepper
• Spices like: Ginger powder,  Santamaria Garlic & Pepper, BBQ pepper, Lime-pepper -mixes.
• Cheddar cheese ( I used one called " Red Devil" -a spicy cheddar)
• Vegan ham ( Optional, i used  Astrid och Aporna fake ham)
• Tomato, cucumber & pea sprouts
• Mayonnaise (mixed basic mayonnaise with some honey, smoke flavoured salt and paprika powder)
• Burger buns

First pour the beans and lentils in a bowl. Add the garlic, onion, fresh coriander, chili, all the spices and some grated Pecorino cheese into the mix. Mix with a hand blender (or in blender) to make it like a smooth paste. Don't mix too long, so that it still has good texture. Taste the mix, add some more spices if you think it needs more taste. Add 2 eggs and mix it with using a spoon. Add the flours and breadcrumps into the mix. The pastry should be stiff enoug to mold stakes with your hands. Mold some some flat stakes with your hands and fry them in the hot pan with some oil on it. 

Heat the buns on the pan. Pile some Cheddar cheese,  veggie stake,( fake ham), tomatoes, cucumber, mayonnaise and pea sprouts on the buns and serve with fries. Enjoy!