Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

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• 1 l (4 1/4 cup) vegetable broth kept hot
• 400 g (14 oz) red kuri squash (Hokkaido) seeds removed, skin on
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20 g (0.7 oz) butter
• 300 g (1 1/2 cup) risotto rice Arborio or Carnaroli
• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) dry white wine or broth; alcohol only partly cooks off; for an alcohol-free version use broth with a squeeze of lemon juice
• 60 g (2.1 oz) Parmesan freshly grated
• 2 sprig thyme or 4 sage leaves
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the broth in a pot and keep it warm over low heat. Cut the squash into cubes about 1/2 inch (1 cm) in size. Finely dice the onion and garlic.
2. Heat the oil in a wide pot and cook the onion for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Add the rice and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring, until the grains turn translucent. Deglaze with the wine and cook, stirring, until it has almost completely reduced.
4. Add a ladle of hot broth and stir until it is absorbed, then add the next ladle. After 8 minutes stir in the squash cubes and the thyme and keep adding broth.
5. Cook for 18 to 20 minutes in total, until the rice is al dente, the risotto is creamy and loose, and the squash is soft. You will not necessarily need all of the broth.
6. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the butter and Parmesan, season with salt and pepper and let it rest, covered, for 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tip: Cold broth stops the cooking and the rice turns out uneven, so keep the broth hot.

Tip: A risotto should not be firm: it should spread in slow waves when you spoon it onto a plate. Add a splash of broth at the end rather than cooking it too long.