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1
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Scrub and trim beets. Place on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap beets tightly in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, or until beets are soft. Open foil packet and allow to cool slightly.
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2
In the meantime, prepare risotto. Heat chicken stock in a medium saucepan. Keep warm and set aside.
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3
In another medium saucepan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly for a minute or two, without browning. Season well with salt and pepper.
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4
Add wine (if using) and stir constantly until absorbed into rice. Add 1/2 cup hot stock at a time, stirring constantly, waiting until liquid is absorbed before adding more. Adjust heat as necessary to maintain a slow boil. Continue adding stock for 18-20 minutes or until rice is al dente. Remove from heat.
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5
Working quickly, remove skins from beets by rubbing them with a paper towel. The skins should slip off easily. Dice beets and add to risotto. (For an extra boost of colour, you can squeeze a few beets through a ricer to extract the juice. Add to risotto.) Add cheese and butter, stir until melted and well combined. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper as needed.
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6
To serve, top risotto portions with crumbled goat's cheese and drizzle lightly with olive oil.
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7
Note: Beets can be roasted and diced ahead of time. Just make sure they're heated through in the final dish.
