In My Kitchen: March 2012...

You can tell autumn has come to the Flinders because in my kitchen there are pumpkins, and delicious, warming foods like this roasted pumpkin risotto:

Ingredients:

1kg butternut pumpkin, peeled & cut into 1" pieces

7 cups vegetable stock

1/2 brown onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 1/2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

30g butter

2 tspn dried parsley flakes

1/3 cup fresh chives, finely chopped

Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 200*C. Chop pumpkin, drizzle with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes or until tender.

Bring stock to boil in a saucepan then reduce heat to a simmer.

Heat some oil in a large saucepan and sautee onion and garlic until tender. Add rice and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring consistently.

Add stock to rice one ladel at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon until absorbed. Continue adding stock until rice is tender but still firm (will take around 30 minutes), stirring consistently.

Then stir in parmesan cheese, butter, parsley and chives. Gently stir in the roasted pumpkin.

Serve immediately (enough for 4).

Keep any remaining risotto in an air tight container in the fridge for up to three days. Leftovers can be used to make patties (crumbed and fried - great on the BBQ), or as filling for stuffed capsicums or zucchinis (corgettes).

What's been cooking in your kitchen this month?

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