I refer to this recipe as my Triple “S” Risotto: Sweet Potato, Scallion and Sage. It is a bit creamier and bolder than a traditional risotto. The scallions, sweet potatoes, garlic salt and hint of cayenne really pump up the flavor. This is comfort risotto all the way. Plus it’s healthy due to the generous amounts of copper, manganese, B vitamins, vitamin K, and Vitamin A in the ingredients.
This recipe is inspired by one of my favorite restaurant dishes here in New York, the Butternut Squash Risotto at GoBo restaurant. I quickly because addicted to GoBo’s sweet and savory dish of perfectly cooked Arborio rice and thick chunks of butternut squash, garnished with a hint of raw sweet sage. I decided that I had to learn how to make this dish myself. So I did. Then I twisted it up a bit to really make it my own. This recipe is the end result.
Risotto is a dish that any skilled chef can conquer. However, it might take a newbie chef a few tries to get it right. It is a tricky, high intensity dish to cook. You must stand over the sauce pan and stir the rice nonstop for about 30 minutes. I call it ‘meditation cooking’. You basically zone out watching the rice slowly absorb all the liquid and then get ‘thirsty’ for more liquid until the desired texture and consistency is achieved. And just when you think the risotto is done, you find it could probably go for another round.
Arborio rice is a must for risotto. Arborio rice is magical. It creates its own ‘cream’. And thus, this dish is 100% vegan. Dairy-free. Good luck, and let me know how it turns out. Click ahead for the recipe, recipe photos and health quips for my Triple “S” Risotto…..
Triple “S” Risotto: Sweet Potato Sage Scallion
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
5 scallion stalks
2 small sweet potatoes
1 bunch fresh sage, 6+ leaves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2.5 cups water
2 cups soy milk, unsweetened
1 red onion, small
2 tsp. garlic salt
2-3 dashes of cayenne
Preparation:
1. Wash scallions. Chop onion and scallions. Set aside.
2. Bake or steam sweet potatoes (20 minutes in oven or 2 minutes in microwave.) Should be slightly firm – not too mushy. Peel skin and dice potatoes into large 1″ cubes. Divide into two portions. Set aside.
3. Roughly chop sage leaves into dime-sized bits. Keep 2-3 leaves whole, for garnish.
Directions
1. Heat olive oil and 3 Tbsp. water in saucepan over medium heat. Add a dash of garlic salt, red onion, most of the scallions, a few bits of chopped sage and half of the portion of sweet potato cubes. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed.
2. Add rice, remaining salt, cayenne, bay leaf and a bit more sage. Cook one minute, or until rice is slightly translucent, stirring constantly. Turn up heat to medium high.
3. Add 1/2 cup soy milk and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly.
4. Add 1/2 cup water. Stir until absorbed. Repeat this process (alternate water and soy milk). Do not add next portion of liquid until all the previous liquid is absorbed.
YOU MUST STIR AND FOLD THE RICE MIXTURE CONSTANTLY.
Estimated time of stirring while adding liquid: 25-35 minutes.
Tip: Remove bay leaf half way through this process. You don’t want the bay leaf to overpower the sage.
5. When all the liquid has been added and absorbed your consistency should be that of a very thick oatmeal. If is seems too mushy, stir it quickly over the heat until it firms up. Be sure to taste test the rice firmness. If the inner grain is still hard-go for another round of liquid.
6. Once the texture and consistency is perfect, turn the heat to low and add remaining sweet potatoes, sage leaves and scallions. Fold over a few times. Turn heat off and cover with foil. Let sit for two minutes.
7. Serve in a warm shallow soup bowl or a small appetizer plate. Garnish with fresh sage and ground pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil for a richer dish.
PAIRING TIP: Pair this dish with a Boston lettuce and sliced pear salad. Top salad with a vegan lemon-mayo dressing.
Lemon-mayo dressing
3 Tbsp. veganaise
juice from 1 lemon
dash black pepper
Mix very well and drizzle over fresh greens.
HEALTH QUIPS:
SAGE
It was herb of the year in 2001.
It contains Rosmarinic acid, but it’s not rosemary…
About Rosmarinic acid: It can be readily absorbed from the GI tract, and once inside the body, acts to reduce inflammatory responses by altering the concentrations of inflammatory messaging molecules (like leukotriene B4).
SWEET POTATO
(per one large potato)
4 g protein
6 g fiber (24% RDA)
692% RDA vitamin A
59% RDA vitamin C
7% RDA calcium and iron
zero fat
SCALLION
per 3 medium stalks
15 calories
120% RDA Vitamin K
ARBORIO RICE
per 1/4 cup of dry rice
150 calories
3 grams protein
OLIVE OIL
Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is – freshly pressed from the fruit. Choose extra virgin olive oil for the most health benefits-its processing is minimal and maintains the most nutritional elements such as vitamin E and phenols.
120 calories per tablespoon. 14 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fats, 12 grams healthy fats, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium.
SUPER FOOD: OLIVE OIL
Olive oil is high in monounsaturated fats and antioxidants.
Studies have shown that EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) assists in raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol levels. Olive oil is the healthiest oil available.
A less discussed benefit of olive oil, is its positive effects on the lining of the stomach. Olive oil’s protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones Naturally, and thus it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.
CAYENNE
read the benefits of spicy foods like cayenne.
I love the photo! The Japanese usually are ranked #1/#2 in life expectancy because they eat so much fish oil!!!!!!!
I love olive oil. I am italian, what can I say. My parents are living until their 80’s so far and have taught me to embrace the mediterranean diet. Just compare italian heart disease to american heart disease.
Mark, I understand your mission to inform, but you are constantly missing the fact that the amount of oil/fat in one recipe does not equal one serving.
Mark is WRONG about the benefits of olive oil (always use extra virgin olive oil of course). Here is a link from the Mayo Clinic: mayoclinic. com/ health/ food-and-nutrition/ AN01037 You simply do not know what you are talking about.
Government health recommendations are a joke, no one in the nutrition community would ever recommend them as a guide! Also, you do not determine health factor by comparing total grams of fat! Theres a couple comments with links already, but numerous studies and research has shown the differences between good fat/bad fat.
Wow, this sounds so good. I don’t think I’m good enough to make it though!
Oops… apologies! Didn’t mean to post that last comment twice.
There are good fats and there are bad fats. Extra virgin olive oil has GOOD fats. To count the mg of total is absolutely absurd.Here is a link from the Harvard School of Public health: — shows that the total amount of fat in the diet isn’t really linked with weight or disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet.”
ps-I intentionally did not add a serves__ number to this dish since there are many variations on how you may want to eat it. By the spoonful or by the cup. Your preference.
A quick note about how to serve this dish:
As I wrote in my recipe post, this dish is rich and to be portioned in very small serving sizes. The cover image of the risotto in the white dish is literally about 3 Tbsp.
Also as I suggested, it is a perfect accompaniment to a large light salad.
My serving suggestion:
Half a head of Boston Lettuce, chopped roughly.
1 large orange, peeled and sliced into thin strips or cubes.
1/2 grapefruit peeled well, cubed.
Dressing: Juice from one lemon, pinch of black pepper, and 1 tsp. EVOO (optional)
**Serve risotto in a small serving dish (as shown) on the side of this salad. Delicious, and healthy.
The cold, acidic and hydrating salad with citrus flavors really cuts the intense flavors in the warm saged risotto.
So good. One of my favorite recipes.
Kathy
ps-I intentionally did not add a serves__ number to this dish since there are many variations on how you may want to eat it. By the spoonful or by the cup. Your preference.
A quick note about how to serve this dish:
As I wrote in my recipe post, this dish is rich and to be portioned in very small serving sizes. The cover image of the risotto in the white dish is literally about 3 Tbsp.
Also as I suggested, it is a perfect accompaniment to a large light salad.
My serving suggestion:
Half a head of Boston Lettuce, chopped roughly.
1 large orange, peeled and sliced into thin strips or cubes.
1/2 grapefruit peeled well, cubed.
Dressing: Juice from one lemon, pinch of black pepper, and 1 tsp. EVOO (optional)
**Serve risotto in a small serving dish (as shown) on the side of this salad. Delicious, and healthy.
The cold, acidic and hydrating salad with citrus flavors really cuts the intense flavors in the warm saged risotto.
So good. One of my favorite recipes.
Kathy
Mark, I understand your mission to inform, but you are constantly missing the fact that the amount of oil/fat in one recipe does not equal one serving.
I love the photo! The Japanese usually are ranked #1/#2 in life expectancy because they eat so much fish oil!!!!!!!
I love olive oil.
I am italian, what can I say. My parents are living until their 80’s so far and have taught me to embrace the mediterranean diet. Just compare italian heart disease to american heart disease.
http://www.oldwayspt.org/med_pyramid.html
And here’s what Dr. Campbell WON’T TELL YOU
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html
Years of research by the world’s best doctors on olive oil is not overturned by two “eat only plants” doctors.
Dr. Campbell’s study WAS A JOKE.
Sorry, but I believe the 20+ years of peer-reviewed research by Drs. Ornish and Esselstyn (independently) that successfully reversed heart disease in very very sick people is more valid than any of the so-called nutritional experts.
That Dr. Barnard has been able to reversed diabetes through a no-added fat vegan diet is also compelling.
Oil is simply NOT a food. Not found in nature. It’s NOT natural nor healthy. Sure, people eating less meat and more olive oil might be healthier than others that don’t, that’s just a comparison. They are still fueling the heart disease process, just less so. Why not do better and eliminate the possibility?
The idea that olive oil is good for you comes largely from a flawed understanding of the Med. Diet research. Essy does an excellent job of debunking this in the link I provided above.
When even the Feds think 60 grams of fat a day is the maximum and this recipe has 83 grams of fat, whether or not you believe me (or the researchers cited above), it’s not a healthy recipe.
Added oil enables formation of plaques. Research has shown, clearly and unequivocally, that even one fatty meal effects the elasticity of your endothelial lining of your blood vessels.
Them’s facts. The only reasonable fats are IN food, real food.
When the Mayo Clinic and Harvard accomplishes what the aforementioned doctors have done, reverse heart disease and diabetes, then I’ll consider their recommendations.
Who do you believe? The guys who’ve beaten heart disease (as well as Dr. T. Colin Campbell, lead researcher for history’s largest study on diet, “The China Study”) or the guys’n’gals who haven’t, and still tell us eating meat, drinking cow’s milk, and consuming pus-celled filled cheese is “okay.”
It amazes me that people who’ve given up meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy, have such a hard time wrapping their cerebrums around a proven concept. In fact, the research supporting the concept of avoiding added fat, imho, is more compelling than any study regarding what vegans usually avoid eating. How ironic!
…and by the way: the Earth DOES revolve around the Sun.
FYI, Mark
Government health recommendations are a joke, no one in the nutrition community would ever recommend them as a guide! Also, you do not determine health factor by comparing total grams of fat! Theres a couple comments with links already, but numerous studies and research has shown the differences between good fat/bad fat.
There are good fats and there are bad fats. Extra virgin olive oil has GOOD fats. To count the mg of total is absolutely absurd.
Here is a link from the Harvard School of Public health: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/fats-full-story/index.html
“Detailed research—much of it done at Harvard—shows that the total amount of fat in the diet isn’t really linked with weight or disease. What really matters is the type of fat in the diet.”
Mark is WRONG about the benefits of olive oil (always use extra virgin olive oil of course). Here is a link from the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01037 You simply do not know what you are talking about.
Oops… apologies! Didn’t mean to post that last comment twice.
Olive oil is not “natural” nor is it a food. It is pure fat. Added fat promotes plaque formation in your blood vessels (as shown by Drs. Esselstyn and Ornish). It’s not a super food and has essentially nothing to offer nutritionally:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/aug/oils.htm
The myth that olive oil is healthy:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0876/is_97/ai_n21193775/pg_5
That 1/4 cup of olive oil is 4 TBLs, which translates into 48 grams of fat.
Then there’s “drizzling” some on top, the veganaise…. more and more fat. 3 TBL of veganaise is 27 grams of fat. 2 cup regular soy milk is 8 grams of fat
Total: 83 grams of fat (not including drizzling).
The government recommends a TOTAL of 60 grams a fat per day, Esselstyn, Ornish, McDougall, Barnard all recommend 14 to 20 grams of fat per day. Even at 4 servings, one serving of your recipe is equivalent to the total recommended fat per day by the guys who’ve reversed heart disease through low-fat vegan diet.
You might as well call your recipe a triple bypass, with all due respect.
It’s creative, clever, but incredibly high in fat that’s not needed. Over three times that of a large serving of McDonald’s French Fries and 1/3 more fat than (ironically) a Denny’s Grand Slam Breakfast (50 grams of fat).
I wouldn’t have written this normally, but I have a hard time standing by saying nothing when well-meaning people are promoting oil or a recipe as “healthy” when, in fat, they are propagating a myth.
I love reading your blog, you are quite creative and have a great ‘tude, but I believe you might benefit from understanding the reality behind the fat issue. It’s serious.
One more link of note:
http://soulveggie.blogs.com/my_weblog/2009/01/15-reasons-to-avoid-vegetable-oils.html
That links provides documented references to WHY we should avoid adding vegetable oil to our recipes/diet.
All the best, Mark
Wow, this sounds so good. I don’t think I’m good enough to make it though!