Pumpkin Risotto
A big cheesy starchy hug in a bowl...there are few things I love to cook or eat more than risotto.
It demands that you open a bottle of white wine of course, and you'll need something to sip on as you methodically top the water up, watching the rice soften into a wonderful starchy mush.
As always, quality of ingredients is everything - the dish will be all the richer for a tasty pumpkin. I've used a Delica Pumpkin from Natoora, with vividly orange flesh and an intense, buttery flavour.
-1kg pumpkin/butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
It demands that you open a bottle of white wine of course, and you'll need something to sip on as you methodically top the water up, watching the rice soften into a wonderful starchy mush.
As always, quality of ingredients is everything - the dish will be all the richer for a tasty pumpkin. I've used a Delica Pumpkin from Natoora, with vividly orange flesh and an intense, buttery flavour.
-1kg pumpkin/butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
-4 tbsp of cooking evoo & a good drizzle of Saint Rosalia for finishing
-bunch of sage, leaves picked, roughly chopped
-1 ½ litres vegetable stock
-1 onion, finely chopped
-300g arborio rice
-1 small glass white wine
-50g parmesan, finely grated
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Toss the pumpkin/squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until brown and soft.
2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt some olive oil over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
3. Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.
4. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then stir the grated Parmesan through. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash, Parmesan and a good drizzle of Saint Rosalia.
1. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan. Toss the pumpkin/squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage. Scatter into a shallow roasting tin and roast for 30 mins until brown and soft.
2. While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt some olive oil over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook gently for 8-10 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
3. Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.
4. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then stir the grated Parmesan through. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash, Parmesan and a good drizzle of Saint Rosalia.