Roasted Sweet Potato Risotto with Browned Butter: Thanksgiving Side Dish

November 13, 2014

I love warm fall dishes. The aroma of the onions, garlic, and herb merry wonderfully with the roasted sweet potato drizzled in maple syrup. Savory and sweet. Cooking this dish is one of my favorite Thanksgiving day activities. I prepare most of my other dishes ahead of time, so they simply need to be cooked in the oven and we ::cough cough:: fry our turkey. Using the stove top adds a different kind of warmth to the house. A lovely cozy warmth. It is also the prefect activity to keep myself busy while I wait for friends and family to arrive.

 

I am serving Pinot Noir Reserve with dinner and this side dish compliments the dry cherry and earthy autumn notes of the wine. Pop open the bottle and use 1/4 cup to deglaze the pan and then pour yourself a glass. You did just cook Thanksgiving dinner! 

 

If you already have your Thanksgiving menu planned - this makes a perfect side dish or main course for any dinner! Check out this recipe for smaller serving sizes. 

 

Ingredients: 

3 cups of arborio rice

3 small sweet potatoes - cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme - minced

1 tablespoon of fresh marjoram - minced 

1 tsp of cracked pepper 

1/4 cup of Pinot Noir Reserve 

1 tsp nutmeg (hole nutmeg grated is preferred over powder) 

1 tsp paprika 

2 tsp salt divided

2 tbsp salted butter

2 tbsp olive oil 

2 small yellow onions - finely diced 

4 cloves of garlic - minced

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese 

2 tablespoons of browned butter

3 quarts of stock of your choice - I used chicken 

maple syrup for drizzling 

 

Directions:

• Preheat your oven to 400F. While your oven is preheating, dice your sweet potatoes into quarter inch cubes. 

• Place the sweet potato in a mixing bowl and toss with the nutmeg, paprika, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 tsp of salt, and some fresh ground pepper. I would say a few good turns of the grinder. 

 

 

 

• Spread the sweet potato on a roasting pan and place in the oven for 30 minutes. Shake the pan every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. At the 20 minute mark, drizzle maple syrup over the sweet potatoes before shaking. To know whether or not it is done feel for texture - soft yet slightly browned and crispy. 
• While the sweet potato is cooking, begin the risotto. Set a skillet over medium heat. Pour the stock in a sauce pan over medium - high heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and minced garlic to the pan and sprinkle with 1 tsp of salt. Turn down the stock pot so it is just under a simmer.Cook the onion and garlic until browned - about 5 minutes. 
• Once the onion and garlic have browned, deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup of Pinot Noir Reserve. Add the herbs. Cook until the sauce is reduced in half. In the pan, melt the two tablespoons of butter. 
• Once the butter is melted, add the arborio rice. Toast the rice in the butter until it is translucent - about 5 minutes. Stir constantly!

• Now start adding the stock a 1/3 of a cup at a time. Stir the rice until the stock is just barely absorbed before adding more. Note the time. After 20 minutes check rice. When done, it should still have some texture but no crunch. If you run out of stock, heat up a sauce pan of water. 
• Once the rice is cooked to your liking, stir in the finished sweet potatoes and browned butter. 

• Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in a large bowl. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy! 

 

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