Roasted Carrot Risotto with Raisins

Risotto risotto risotto.  I love it. And I always make it generally the same way, but I’ll experiment with different add-ins. This past weekend it was roasted carrots.  I knew it needed something else to make it more interesting, and my sister geniusly suggested raisins. Raisins! Perfect! I only had golden raisins so I used those, but I think the purple ones would be prettier.

 Recipe

• 2 cups roasted carrots (chopped into 2-inch pieces, drizzled with oil and S&P, 400 for ~25 min)
• ½ cup raisins
• Olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Pinch minced garlic (I used jarred)
• 1 cup risotto
• ½ cup white wine
• 3-4 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese

Roast the carrots, set aside.  Sautee the onion in a bit of olive oil until translucent.  Add the garlic and butter.  Over medium heat, add the risotto and stir to coat.  Add the wine and cook down for a few minutes.  Add the chicken stock about a ½ cup at a time, continuously stirring while the liquid cooks into the rice (keep at a low boil/simmer). I typically use about 3.5 cups, and when all the liquid is gone the risotto should be done (takes 20-30 minutes I think?).  Stir in the parmesan to melt, and add the carrots and raisins.  If I were fancy, I would garnish it with a sprig of mint. And maybe some slivered almonds.