This dish is based on a recipe from the New York Times, where the carrots are roasted with chile crisp. I thought roasting the carrots with a sauce made from sweeter and slightly less hot gochujang (Korean red chili paste) might taste even better. You can see what you think! I think the carrots are good enough to enjoy all on their own, too. Be sure to roast them in a pan that holds the carrots and sauce snugly – in a larger pan the sauce may spread out and burn. If you have leftover risotto, try arancini. These cheese-stuffed rice balls are traditionally fried but can be baked as in this easy recipe, Risotto Balls (Baked Arancini) from Healthy Little Foodies.
Serves: 4 generously
Takes: about an hour
2 pounds carrots, peeled or scrubbed, divided
1 tablespoon mild tasting vegetable oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochujang
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced or grated
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 large shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups/10 ounces Arborio or other short grain rice
2 1/2 ounces finely grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 cups), plus more for serving (optional)
Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper
sesame seeds for garnish (Optional)
- Heat the oven the 375°. Cut 1 pound of the carrots into rough chunks and drop into a food processor. Pulse to finely chop. You should have about 2 cups. Alternatively, the carrots can be grated if you don’t have a food processor. Cut the remaining pound of carrots on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces, and place in a small baking dish. Drizzle the oil over, toss well, and place in the oven. Roast for 10-15 minutes until just tender.
- Mix the soy sauce, gochujang, honey, rice vinegar, and ginger in a small bowl or spouted measuring cup. When the carrots are almost tender, pour the sauce over, toss, and roast for another 10 minutes until tender and glazed. Set aside.
- Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep warm.
- Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a heavy bottomed pot that holds at least 4 quarts. Add the shallots, chopped carrots, garlic, and ground coriander and cook over medium high heat until fragrant and the vegetables are beginning to soften.
- Add the wine and cook until the liquid is mostly boiled off.
- Add the rice and stir until the grains of rice are well-coated with oil. Ladle in about 1 cup of warm broth and stir until it’s absorbed, about 15 minutes. Continue adding cupfuls of broth and stirring. If the rice is not tender by the time all but the last cup of broth has been added, pour in the last of the broth, stir well, and cover and simmer for 10 minutes – this is not strictly risotto technique, but should get the rice tender.
- Mix in the remaining two tablespoons of butter and the cheese and stir until the risotto is creamy. Serve in shallow bowls topped with the carrots and garnished with sesame seeds, and pass extra cheese if desired.