Sage, Scallion, and Sweet Potato Risotto

Risotto is a creamy and delicious comfort food. Yet it’s a comfort food that is also healthy: this recipe has lots of Vitamin A, copper, manganese, and B vitamins. Creamy and bold, the cayenne really pumps up the flavor. I found this recipe on Healthy Happy Life. The author Kathy calls cooking a risotto “meditation cooking”, as you stand over the saucepan and stir the rice until all the liquid is absorbed. This recipe is 100% vegan.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
5 scallion stalks
2 small sweet potatoes
1 bunch fresh sage, 6+ leaves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2.5 cups water
2 cups soy milk, unsweetened
1 red onion, small
2 tsp. garlic salt
2-3 dashes of cayenne

Preparation:
1. Wash scallions. Chop onion and scallions. Set aside.
2. Bake or steam sweet potatoes (20 minutes in oven or 2 minutes in microwave.) Should be slightly firm – not too mushy. Peel skin and dice potatoes into large 1″ cubes. Divide into two portions. Set aside.
3. Roughly chop sage leaves into dime-sized bits. Keep 2-3 leaves whole, for garnish.

Directions
1. Heat olive oil and 3 Tbsp. water in saucepan over medium heat. Add a dash of garlic salt, red onion, most of the scallions, a few bits of chopped sage and half of the portion of sweet potato cubes. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.

2. Add rice, remaining salt, cayenne, bay leaf and a bit more sage. Cook one minute, or until rice is slightly translucent, stirring constantly. Turn up heat to medium high.

3. Add 1/2 cup soy milk and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly.

4. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir until absorbed. Repeat this process (alternate water and soy milk). Do not add next portion of liquid until all the previous liquid is absorbed.
IMPORTANT: YOU MUST STIR AND FOLD THE RICE MIXTURE CONSTANTLY.
Estimated time of stirring while adding liquid: 25-35 minutes.
Tip: Remove bay leaf half way through this process. You don’t want the bay leaf to overpower the sage.

5. When all the liquid has been added and absorbed your consistency should be that of a very thick oatmeal. If is seems too mushy, stir it quickly over the heat until it firms up. Be sure to taste test the rice firmness. If the inner grain is still hard-go for another round of liquid.

6. Once the texture and consistency is perfect, turn the heat to low and add remaining sweet potatoes, sage leaves and scallions. Fold over a few times. Turn heat off and cover with foil. Let sit for two minutes.

7. Serve in a warm shallow soup bowl or a small appetizer plate. Garnish with fresh sage and ground pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil for a richer dish.

Enjoy!


Source: Alessandra N