Autumn has well and truly arrived in Melbourne. Crispy orange leaves are falling, it is dark by 6pm, and most noticeably the weather has become cooler. I can definitely sense that winter is creeping quietly into the picture!
While I’m not the biggest fan of winter, there are some perks including hearty food. The colder months provide the opportunity to eat everything and anything wholesome and cosy. This leads me to today’s post – a pumpkin and saffron risotto. Essentially, this recipe is a hug in a bowl. So, it is unquestionably the perfect dish to be served to provide comfort in a time like the present.
With pumpkins in season I’ve been researching alternative recipes to a much loved soup or curry. Don’t get me wrong – both curry and soup are amazing, but change every now and then can also be good. As I explored my most favourite cookbooks and blogs, I came across this post by Emiko Davies. It was here my search ended and I decided that risotto would be on the menu.
The process of making the risotto is slow and calming. It’s easy to fall into a rhythm as hot saffron infused stock is gradually stirred into the Aborio rice. The pairing of seasonal pumpkin and delicate saffron threads results in the most beautiful golden hue. Served immediately with freshly grated Parmesan, the risotto is perfect for a dinner snuggled up on the sofa.
Pumpkin and Saffron Risotto
Ingredients
- 250 g aborio rice
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 500 g pumpkin, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads
- A sprig of rosemary
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 1 tbs of unsalted butter
- parmesan cheese to serve
Method
- Heat a heavy saucepan with roughly 2-3 tbs of olive oil
- Place the onion in the pan and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until transparent.
- Once the onion is transparent, add the pumpkin. Season with pepper and cook for 20 minutes. If the pumpkin starts to stick, you can add a splash of hot water to the pan.
- Meanwhile, heat the stock with the saffron over a low heat until hot.
- When the pumpkin has started to soften, add the rosemary and the rice. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- Gradually add the stock to the rice mixture one ladle at a time, stirring as you go. Make sure you wait for the stock to be absorbed before adding more stock.
- After about 25 minutes, you should find that the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is now cooked.
- Stir in the butter to give the risotto a beautiful gloss.
- Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan and an extra sprinkling of pepper.