Pumpkin risotto
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
Pumpkin risotto
Prep time: 35 minsTotal time: 
The River Cafe
The River Cafe
Ingredients
- 850g pumpkin or butternut squash
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano, thyme or marjoram leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and thickly sliced
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 1 litre fresh vegetable or chicken stock
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 medium red onion, very finely chopped
- 300g risotto rice (such as Arborio)
- 75ml extra dry white vermouth
- Parmesan or vegetarian alternative, freshly grated
Step by step
-
Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7. Remove the seeds and fibres from the pumpkin or squash, cutting the flesh (with skin) into large chunks. Place, skin-side down, on a baking tray. Season with sea salt and black pepper and scatter over the herbs and garlic. Pour over 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and rub into the flesh. Cover with foil and bake the pumpkin for 50 minutes or until it is soft and shrivelled and has begun to brown at the edges. Allow to cool enough to handle. Scrape the flesh from the skin, then discard the skin.
-
Meanwhile, heat the stock in a large pan, and keep on a low heat, covered. Melt 75g of the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Gently fry the onion for 15 minutes or until soft. Add the rice and stir until the grains become coated with butter. Add the vermouth and stir until it has been absorbed. Add two ladlefuls of hot stock, or just enough to cover the rice, and simmer, stirring, until the rice has absorbed nearly all the liquid. Continue to add more stock as the previous addition is absorbed.
-
After 20 minutes, nearly all the stock will have been absorbed by the rice; each grain will have a creamy coating, but will remain al dente. Add the remaining butter, in small pieces, the roasted pumpkin and Parmesan, being careful not to over-stir. Serve immediately.
Recipe taken from River Cafe 30 by Ruth Rogers, Rose Gray, Joseph Trivelli and Sian Wyn Owen (Ebury Press, £28). Available from 5 October
