Caramelized Carrot Risotto

So we are still working on using up the garden fresh carrots that were so kindly given to us. So my mind keeps racing with new ways to use up the sweet carrots. After searching online for many different carrot recipes I found this knock out dish at myrecipes.com!!! It was amazingly creamy, thanks to the mascarpone cheese. With a nice sweet touch from the caramelized carrots! This would be a fantastic addition to a holiday table or a week day meal. Total winner in my book!

From myrecipes.com

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped as finely and evenly as possible about 3 cups
• About 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup for garnish
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish
• 1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Preparation

• 1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed pot; add carrots and stir with a wooden spoon until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the sugar; cover and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and carrots are just starting to brown, a few minutes more. Reserve half of the carrots. In a blender, purée other half with 3/4 cup hot water.
• 2. Bring chicken broth to a simmer and keep at a simmer, covered, over low heat.
• 3. Heat remaining oil and butter over medium heat in same (unwashed) pot used for carrots. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat rice with oil, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine evaporates. Add carrot purée and cook, stirring, until mixture no longer looks soupy.
• 4. Add 1/2 cup hot broth, stirring often, until rice absorbs most of the liquid. Repeat process, adding 1/2 cup broth at a time and stirring often till each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (about 20 minutes; at least 1 cup broth will remain).
• 5. Fold in reserved carrots (save 2 tbsp. for garnish), mascarpone, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 tbsp. parsley, and the thyme. Add up to 1 cup broth (1/4 cup at a time) to loosen the risotto. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
• 6. Sprinkle each bowl of risotto with some of remaining 1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1 tbsp. parsley, and reserved carrots. Serve immediately.

from sunset magazine!

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