Pumpkin Risotto Recipe


This pumpkin risotto is to die for. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Serving Size: 4-5 people
Preptime: 60-90 minutes
Ingredients
For DIY pumpkin puree:
  1. 4 cups of water
  2. 3 cups of diced pumpkin
  3. Salt
  4. Pepper
For Risotto
  1. 1/3 cup Olive oil
  2. 1 whole diced white onion
  3. 1 cup short-grain rice (I suggest carnaroli or arborio rice)
  4. Pumpkin puree 
  5. Garlic
  6. 2 cups vegetable Stock
  7. 2 cups water
Optional for non-vegans:
  1. 2 part Parmesan cheese
  2. 1 part Cheddar cheese
Procedure
DIY Pumpkin puree:
  1. Put 4 cups of water to a boil in a pot. 
  2. Add the pumpkin and wait until it gets VERY soft. (About 15 minutes)
  3. Drain the water out. 
  4. Make the puree by putting into a food processor, blender, or mashing it with a masher. (I just used a clean, wooden meat tenderiser and mashed it in the pot.)
Pumpkin Risotto recipe:
  1. Add the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. 
  2. Add in the diced onion. 
  3. Once onions begin to soften, lower the heat to medium and add in the rice and 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes.
  4. Add in the garlic and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Stir constantly.
  5. Once mixture thickens, add in 1 cup of water. 
  6. Repeat this process while continuously stirring: Wait for mixture to thicken (or the rice to absorb the liquid). Add 1/4 cup water. Add 1/2 cup of puree. Wait to thicken. Add 1/4 cup of vegetable stock. Wait to thicken. 
  7. Stop process once you reach your desired texture and flavour. 
  8. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
Non-vegan option:
  1. Add in the grated cheese when you're satisfied with the taste and texture of your risotto. 
  2. Stir the cheese in and it should melt into the risotto. 
  3. My preferred cheese ratio for this dish is 2:1 parmesan and cheddar. 
Additional tips
  1. Continue to taste the risotto until it reaches your desired texture and flavour as not to under- or overcook it.  
  2. Make sure you don't over-do the liquid because it may become to soft. (I suggest stay within 2 cups of stock and 2 cups of water for 1 cup of risotto.)
This is technically the first risotto recipe I've developed, since the earlier "risotto" dish I made was created without arborio rice, which is a key ingredient for making risottos. So if you can't get any arborio rice, or any short-grain and starch-filled rice, you can opt to make this *officially renamed* creamy tomato rice recipe. 



© SUNNYSIDEASH
Maira Gall