This risotto, made from everyday ingredients, is wonderfully creamy and naturally sweet with a great contrast of roasted carrots and crispy chilli on top. Adapted from this recipe by Alexa Weibel from NYT Cooking.
Heat the oven to 205ºC (400ºF). Finely chop or grate 340g (¾ lb) of carrots and set aside. Now slice another 680g (1½ lbs) of carrots on a sharp diagonal about ½ cm (¼”) thick and transfer to a baking sheet. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix through 2 tablespoons chilli crisp – both oil and crispy bits (I use Laoganma Crispy Chilli Oil). Roast until tender and colouring a little. Meanwhile in a pressure cooker melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the grated carrots, 1 large minced shallot, 3 minced cloves of garlic and ½ a teaspoon of ground coriander. Season again with salt and pepper and cook briefly until the shallot is wilted and the mixture is fragrant. Add ½ a cup of dry white wine and cook until hardly any liquid remains. Stir in 1½ cups of arborio rice and add 3 cups of stock. Close the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to build then lower the heat and cook for exactly 7 minutes. Cool under cold water to reduce the pressure quickly. Open and add 70g (2½ oz) of finely grated parmesan. Stir well until you’re happy with the consistency of the risotto and season again to taste. Serve topped with the roasted carrots and some more chilli crisp.
michelle picker cooks 