Pumpkin and mushroom risotto
IT’S pumpkin season and if you enjoy risotto then you will love this recipe as it doesn’t involve standing over a pan ladling hot stock.
Served straight from the oven this risotto is perfect for entertaining – especially for your vegetarian friends and family.
Ingredients:
1 small pumpkin, approximately 200g
250g fresh mixed dark mushrooms such as chestnut or girolles
3tbsp olive oil
200g risotto rice such as Arborio 200ml dry white wine
200ml evaporated milk
30g butter, chopped
50g freshly grated quality Parmesan
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
You will need a 2½in deep 7in Pyrex dish
Method:
Heat the oven to 150°C and lightly grease your Pyrex dish with butter.
Remove the top from the pumpkin and scoop out the flesh from the inside, reserve the seeds, grate or finely chop the flesh into a bowl.
Peel or brush the mushrooms and slice.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the chopped mushrooms then sauté for five minutes to soften.
Pour in the wine and simmer for 10 minutes to reduce slightly, stir in the rice and coat with the reduction turning constantly for five minutes.
Pour the rice into the baking dish, add the pumpkin flesh together with the evaporated milk, mix thoroughly and season well.
Place the dish in the centre of your pre-heated oven without covering.
After 20 minutes grate the parmesan into the risotto and return to the oven to bake for a further 20 minutes.
Before serving, stir in the butter and a little more parmesan.
Chef ’s note:
Pumpkins are an antioxidant rich food, packed with betacarotene and vitamin A for our eyesight, they’re also an excellent source of fibre and thought to have anti-cancer effects.
Mushrooms are antiinflammatory, low in calories and rich in B vitamins, selenium and copper.
Lesley is studying a nutrition & health degree at Edge Hill University, she and her husband, Roberto, own Roberto’s Italian on Ocean Plaza, Southport.
For more of Lesley’s recipes find her on Twitter: @ LYatesNutrition and Roberto’s: Facebook.com/robertossouthport