Caramelized Carrot Risotto

To continue with my risotto obsession, this Caramelized Carrot Risotto is sweet, creamy, and flavorful. If you've been afraid to try risotto, you need to overcome your fear and try it. If I can make it, I promise you can too!

Caramelized Carrot Risotto
Adapted from Fake Ginger
Ingredients:
·2 TBS EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), divided
·3 TBS butter, divided
·1 – 16oz. bag frozen carrots, partially thawed and finely chopped
·3¾ cups water, divided
·½ tsp salt
·1 tsp sugar
·3½ cups chicken broth
·1 small onion, chopped
·1½ cups Arborio rice
·½ cup sherry
·½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
·½ tsp ground thyme
·Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, heat 1 TBS EVOO and 1 TBS butter over medium heat. Add carrots and stir with a spoon until well coated. Add ½ cup water, salt, and sugar; cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and carrots are starting to brown. Reserve half of the carrots. In a blender, puree the other half of the carrots with ¾ cup hot water.

In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth and 2½ cups water to a simmer. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Heat remaining EVOO and butter over medium heat in the (unwashed) Dutch oven. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add rice, stirring with a spoon to coat for 1 minute. Add sherry and stir until sherry evaporates. Add carrot puree and stir until mixture no longer looks soupy.

Add ½ cup of hot broth mixture, stirring often, until rice absorbs most of the liquid. Repeat this process, adding ½ cup broth at a time and stirring often until each addition of liquid is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (about 18-20 minutes).

Stir in reserved carrots, Parmesan cheese, and ground thyme. Add up to 1 cup of broth (¼ cup at a time) to loosen the risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Yield: 6 servings