Pink Risotto With Gorgonzola

Those who read these recipes must know by now that I am an Italian-risotto-obsessed. I think it's time to claim it as my favorite comfort food. It's just too perfect for us, IBS fellas. In Amsterdam, the weather has been just awful. Therefore, I needed some hominess on my plate.

This pink risotto has been a success. It's delicious. It's creamy. It's warm. It screams home (Italy) everywhere I make it. This is why, when I first saw a picture of this risotto, I could not believe how colorful it looked. I needed to make a Low FODMAP version of it.

What I love about this risotto is the contrast between the sweetness of the beetroot and the tastiness of the gorgonzola gives it. Divine. I'm usually not a fan of the beetroot, it stains, and it has a weird chemical taste to me when eaten by itself, but when I made this recipe, I could only taste the best it offers. I opted for the canned version, which is just easier to manage and lower in FODMAPs.

Gorgonzola has a very small amount of lactose, and in this recipe, I only used a little piece, enough to keep the recipe interesting and tasty. My guests were surprised by the look and uncommon combination of flavors of this dish, but they all loved it, so I hope you will love it too!

Buon appetito!

Makes: 2 servings
Serving Size: about 3oz of rice each
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: around 20 minutes

Ingredients for pink risotto with gorgonzola:

• 6 oz of arborio rice
• about 3 oz of canned beetroot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 spring onion, only the green part
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 glass of white wine
• Nut-size amount of butter
• 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan
• 1 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper
• 2 oz of gorgonzola
• 2 tablespoons of lactose-free milk
• a handful of your favorite nuts

Directions for pink risotto with gorgonzola:

1. Heat up the broth on a side pot
2. Chop the green part of the spring onion
3. Put the olive oil in a pan along with the garlic and the green onion and let it brown for a couple of minutes on low heat
4. Add the rice to the pan, let it toast for about a minute, then pour the wine and simmer until reduced
5. Remove the garlic
6. Add a ladle of broth to the risotto and stir
7. On a side, with a mixer, blend the canned beetroot flesh with half a glass of the broth
8. In a pot, melt most of the gorgonzola along with the lactose-free milk on low heat until creamy (if needed, add some water)
9. Keep stirring the risotto while adding the cream obtained from the beetroots, broth, salt, and pepper
10. Add broth and stir until the risotto is "al dente," around 16-17 minutes
11. Turn off the heat and add butter and Parmigiano, stir until creamy
12. Serve it on a plate and add the creamy gorgonzola on top, along with little pieces of the gorgonzola you have left
13. To add some crunchiness, I cut a few nuts and added them on top