Roasted Sweet Potato Risotto

After teasing us with gorgeous warm, sunny weather, winter decided it wasn't quite done with DC and it left us with clouds and a temperature of 30 degrees. I decided that the sweet potato and onion on my counter would best comfort me in a warm creamy bowl of risotto.

I used a recipe from the blog Two Peas and Their Pod as a guide. My recipe is below. I would absolutely recommend trying this if you have a sweet potato laying around. The sweet creaminess of the roasted sweet potato paired perfectly with the creamy slightly nutty risotto. 

Roasted Sweet Potato Risotto
Serves 2

1 Sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 - 3/4 inch cubes
Extra virgin olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 - 4 cups vegetable broth (I only ended up needing 3 cups of broth, but I used Vialone Nano rice, which is smaller than Arborio, so it cooks quicker. If you are using Arborio, you may need more.)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup Vialone Nano or Arborio rice (If you like risotto and have never tried Vialone Nano rice, search it out. Believe me, it is worth it. It cooks faster, is creamier and consistently has the correct al dente texture. I first tried it when I made risotto rosso this past winter and I won't go back to Arborio.)
1/3 cup dry white wine
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Handful of Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Place sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring once, until tender.

3. Bring broth to a simmer in a small saucepan.

4. Heat butter and a tablespoon or two of olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, Dutch oven, or gorgeous braiser that your husband bought you for Valentine's Day. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and toast for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the wine and stir until absorbed. Add 1/2 cup or so of broth, stirring until absorbed. Lower the heat if the rice is absorbing the liquid too quickly. Continue adding broth in this manner until rice is al dente. This should take 20-30 minutes, depending on your rice, the humidity, how many pets are staring at you and the position of the moon.

5. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the roasted sweet potatoes and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Taste for seasoning and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately!