Wash the beetroots and bake two of them for 60-90 minutes at 180°C in the oven (test whether it’s tender with a stick). In the meantime peel the other two beetroots and slice them very thinly. Fry them in the vegetable fat at 160°C to chips and drain on a paper towel. Season with sea salt. Chop the hazelnuts coarsely and roast in a pot. When they turn golden yellow, drizzle with honey, season with salt and let them caramelize. Let them cool down on baking paper.
Use a separate pot to heat the vegetable stock. This enables you to always add a little stock to the risotto. Peel the onion, dice and sweat in olive oil. Now add the rice and also stew for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Deglaze with the white whine and let it reduce. Add as much stock as to barely cover the rice and add further stock when the risotto soaked up the liquid. Thoroughly stir from time to time. Depending on the type of rice, the risotto needs to cook 15 to 20 minutes.
When the baked beetroots are done, peel and dice them and add to the risotto. Whip the cream, grate the Parmesan and also stir into the rice. Season with cinnamon, star anise, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper. Finally decorate the risotto with the beetroot chips and candied hazelnuts.

FoR 4 Servings

500 g (4 roots) beetroot

vegetable oil for deep-frying

1 handful of hazelnuts

1 tsp organic honey

300 g risotto rice

1 small onion

1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100 ml white wine

ca. 1 l vegetable stock

100 ml cream

30 g Parmesan

salt

black pepper

1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground star anise