Tom Kitchin recipe: Pumpkin risotto
Tom says: “Risotto is one of my favourite foods. It’s quick and easy to prepare and can be flavoured with so many different seasonal vegetables. I like making pumpkin risotto and my preferred way of serving it is in a big bowl placed right in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves – then come back for seconds. If you’re eating round the bonfire it’s also a great dish for everyone to eat outside, as you only need some serving bowls and forks.”
Ingredients
• 1 vegetable stock
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 200g pumpkin, chopped into 1cm cubes
• 200g arborio risotto rice
• 100ml white wine
• 1 knob of butter
• 100g parmesan cheese, freshly grated
• 1 sage leaf
• salt and pepper
Garnish
• 4 Jerusalem artichokes
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 or 4 pumpkin wedges
• parmesan cheese
• salsify crisps to garnish
Serves four
Method
1 To prepare the garnish, peel the Jerusalem artichokes. Cut them into wedges and cook in boiling salted water for eight to ten minutes or until soft. Warm the oil in a heavy pan, add the pumpkin and roast in a hot oven for eight to ten minutes. Add the artichokes and roast for another two or three minutes, then set aside.
2 To make the risotto – Heat the vegetable stock and leave it to simmer while you begin the risotto. In a separate heavy-bottomed pot, cook the shallots in the olive oil over a medium heat until soft. Season. Now add the pumpkin and season again to taste. Slowly cook the pumpkin until it starts to soften, but do not allow it to colour.
3 Add the rice and cook until it turns slightly translucent – three to four minutes. Stir in the wine. Once the wine has almost completely evaporated, start adding the simmering stock, a ladleful at a time. Stir after each addition, allowing each ladleful to be almost fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue to add stock until the rice is cooked but still has a slight bite (al dente). This should take about 16 minutes. Check the seasoning again.
4 Remove from the heat and add the butter and freshly grated parmesan. Leave the risotto to rest for two minutes and add the chopped sage before serving.
To serve
Serve in a bowl and add garnish and shavings of parmesan.