Risotto is one of those foods that even when you're full, you wish your bowl would never end... an ultimate Winter comfort food with so many options, it's easy to make a winning risotto dish from random veggies lying around and impress all your friends.
I had some left over hazelnuts and a pumpkin from the farmers market so I ended up with this! The pumpkin really made it - so make sure you use one that is small and not stringy. It gives a lovely sweet flavour and beautiful rich colour, as well as being packed with carotenoids and fibre! I tend to make my food up as I go and rarely measure, so the measurements here are a bit of a guess... Sorry!
The key to a good risotto is to ensure your rice is aldente (cooked through but with a little resistance) and is a little loose in the liquid, or else you will end up with dry mush. The stock also strongly affects the flavour, so make your own if you can, or try and go for a fresh one with no MSG or artificial flavours.
Ingredients:
- 1 small grey or Japanese pumpkin (possibly 800g) skinned and chopped into 1cm cubes
- Rice bran oil
- Pinch of cinnamon
- Two good handfuls of hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- A cup or two of swiss brown mushrooms, chopped thickly
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh vegetable stock (about 1-1.5L)
- Dry white wine
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 brown onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
- Fresh rosemary
- 1 bunch fresh English spinach
- Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- Cracked black pepper
- Sea Salt
Method:
- Toss pumpkin cubes in 1 tablespoon of the rice bran oil on a baking dish and scatter over 1 tablespoon of chopped rosemary and a pinch of sea salt, then sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. Roast in hot oven until tender (about 20mins). Transfer half the pumpkin to a bowl and mash well.
- Dry roast the hazelnuts in a frypan on medium/high heat. Move often and be careful not to burn. Once they brown slightly and smell fragrant, remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Cook mushrooms in a little rice bran oil with the fresh thyme until tender. Set aside.
- Warm stock in a saucepan on low heat.
- Sautee onion with the rosemary in a large heavy-based pot on medium heat with a little rice bran oil. Add garlic and rice and cook for a minute or two, stirring well. Add a good splash of white wine (about a cup, perhaps a little more) and let it cook right down. Turn the heat down to a low simmer and add stock by the ladleful (keeping it on low heat), allowing the rice to absorb it before adding more. Keep the rice moving and don't let it stick to the bottom of the pot. I like to add a good amount of cracked black pepper here so it can infuse through.
- When the rice is aldente, stir through the mashed pumpkin, spinach, mushrooms and a good handful of parmesan cheese. Season to taste with sea salt.
- Plate up and top each serve with the extra diced pumpkin, roasted hazelnuts, parmesan cheese and a little more cracked black pepper. I also like to add a little chopped fresh parsley and toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve with a fresh green salad, a glass of wine and enjoy!
xT
