It’s been a long summer; even autumn has been just too temperate and you’re dying for a really chilly day so you can just stay in the house!! Well, have I got the right recipe for you. Not only does this recipe require a whole cornucopia of fall produce, it also takes time and attention. And once you’ve made an authentic risotto, your family will learn to respect the time-honored phrase, “Not now, dear; I have to stir the rice.”
This, of course, leaves you ample time to just stare into your saucepot, ladling broth, stirring, stirring . . . it’s the only way to make a really good risotto, yes, but it’s also a zen-like cooking experience.
In order to enjoy the experience fully, I recommend you have everything prepped in advance; measure the ingredients, make any substitutions necessary, chop what you’ll need before you begin cooking. Finally, use the ingredient list as a guide, but the technique as a rule. For risotto, you must have a short-grain starchy rice (regular long-grain rices won’t work) sautéed with aromatics, deglazed with wine and plumped ever-so-gradually with warm broth. Off the heat, you can stir in what you like, and garnish with what pleases you.
This version from Jamie Oliver is particularly delicious and is worth seeking out any ingredients you might not ordinarily keep in stock. But feel free to play around with it. If you haven’t got shallots, use white onion. No chestnuts? Try walnuts. Just keep stirring.
Pumpkin, Sage, Chestnut and Bacon Risotto
1 small sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (about 2 ½ pounds), peeled, cut into 1-inch slices
½ cup reserved pumpkin or squash seeds, rinsed
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
salt and pepper
12 slices bacon
2 ounces shelled chestnuts, chopped
15 fresh sage leaves
4 cups homemade stock or low-sodium broth
3 shallots, minced
5 small celery stalks, diced
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
4 tablespoons butter
½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil and turn the pumpkin slices in the oil to coat. Sprinkle the pumpkin with crushed coriander seeds, salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 40 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine pumpkin seeds with the chestnuts and sage, season with salt, pepper and olive oil to taste. Spread the bacon over the cooked pumpkin slices and sprinkle the pumpkin seed mixture over the pumpkin. Put the pumpkin back in the oven and cook until the bacon crisps.
Scrape the bacon and seed mixture back into the small bowl. Chop the cooked pumpkin into medium dice. Bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallots, celery and ½ teaspoon salt; sauté over medium heat until tender. Add the rice, stirring constantly and cook until the grains begin to turn translucent, 2-3 minutes. Then stir in the wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Begin adding the warm broth one ladleful at a time, stirring between additions, until all the liquid is absorbed (about 20 minutes). The rice should have a nice creamy consistency, suspended in a thick sauce. You may not need all of the broth.
Finally, season the risotto to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Vigorously stir in half of the chopped pumpkin, blending it with the sauce. Gently fold in the rest of the pumpkin, the butter and Parmigiano. Cover and let rest for 2 minutes. Serve immediately with the bacon mixture sprinkled on top.
Adapted from Chef Jaime Oliver
Editor’s Note: Angela Denstad Stigeler writes a food column each week for the Caledonia Argus. She, her husband and their two young children live in Caledonia.
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