I know my way around a pan of risotto. It was one of the first dishes that I learned how to cook, and in the last 20-ish years or so, I have perfected the technique (If I do say so myself.).
One of the other foods that I know my way around is a pumpkin; specifically where hacking into one is concerned.
I spent the past winter in Grand Cayman (This is something I intend to write more about when the timing feels appropriate. Soon.), and there, pumpkin is served year-round. One can often find it for sale at a roadside stand or a farmers’ market haphazardly cut and exposed, with the seeds spilling out of it every which way.
I was fortunate enough to have access to a farm in which pumpkins grew alongside other beautiful produce. One such was exceptionally large – weighing in near 20 pounds – providing several dinners worth of side dishes in its heft.
My favorite way to prepare pumpkin is roasted with sweet and savory spices such as cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and chili powder. After all of the peeling and carving, simple is the best way to go.
If I am feeling compelled, however, (Or have a pumpkin large enough to serve as the coach for Cinderella, in the case above…), I will roast a double batch and reserve the second half of it for this risotto.
I recommend you do the same. Either way.
SWEET AND SAVORY ROASTED PUMPKIN RISOTTO
Serves: 4-6
Notes: Cayman pumpkin is similar to the Sugar Pie pumpkins we cook with here, but a bit stringier, so to speak. Because of its texture, it is quicker to roast. If you prefer, a large Butternut or several Honeynut squash, will work just as well here.
For the roasted pumpkin:
1, 4-5 pound Sugar Pie pumpkin (or the equivalent in Butternut, Honeynut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon dark brown sugar
For the risotto:
6 strips center-cut bacon
1 shallot, diced
1 1/2 cubs Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
6-8 cups chicken stock
Pureed roasted pumpkin
Roasted pumpkin
1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Roast the pumpkin: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel and seed the pumpkin. Cut it into 1/2 inch cubes. Toss the cubes with the olive oil and spices, and roast for approximately 20-25 minutes, until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Once cool enough to handle, scoop half of the roasted pumpkin into a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
Meanwhile…
Make the risotto: Heat the chicken stock in a pot. It does not have to be boiling, just hot.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet set over medium heat. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the shallots to the bacon grease. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, until soft. Add the rice to the pan, and stir for a minute or two. Pour the wine in. Stir the rice mixture until the wine nearly evaporates. Pour one ladle of the stock into the pan. Again, stir the rice mixture until the liquid nearly evaporates. Continue adding stock to the pan until the rice is tender. This process should take about 20 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the pureed pumpkin and cheese to the cooked rice. Stir to combine. Add more stock to the pan if the mixture seems too thick. Gently fold the cubed roasted squash into the rice.
Serve immediately with extra grated cheese, if desired.
