Instant Pot beet risotto

When I lived in the Boston area, I loved to go to the Foundry, which would occasionally have a beet risotto special. I'm not usually a beet person or a risotto person, but there was something better than the sum of its parts about this fuchsia, goat-cheesy dish. I ate that risotto on my birthday and on the day I defended my PhD dissertation. 

Risotto usually takes a lot of babysitting, so I never considered making it until owning an Instant Pot. Pressure cooking makes it possible to make perfectly creamy risotto with a totally hands-off approach. Just saute the ingredients, add liquid, seal, and cook for 6 minutes, and you're done! I like to take a root-to-leaf approach and wilt in the beet greens at the end for a pop of color and freshness.

Instant Pot beet risotto

2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced

6-7 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
2 small beets, unpeeled, diced or shredded; greens chopped and reserved
3/4 t salt
1/2 t herbes de Provence or thyme
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 T lemon juice
goat cheese for garnish

Saute onion in oil until golden on high in Instant Pot. Add garlic and rice, and toast, stirring frequently, for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients except lemon, beet greens, and goat cheese. Close Instant Pot with the pressure valve to sealing. Cook in Manual (Hi) for 5 minutes, then quick release. Rice should be fully cooked but al dente and moist. This always produces the perfect texture for me, but it is easy to tweak if necessary. If rice is too firm, saute until softened. If too dry, add water to loosen. If too moist, let it stand for a few minutes. It absorbs a lot of water as it cools. Stir in lemon and greens, which will wilt quickly. Serve topped with crumbles of goat cheese. Makes 4 main course servings.

Contrary to popular belief, risotto holds well in the fridge and freezer. Just add water and reheat in the microwave, checking often to be sure it doesn't overheat.