Pumpkin risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
• 3 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ litres Oxo vegetable stock, hot
• 400g buttercup pumpkin
• 100g Parmesan, grated
• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Peel half the pumpkin and cut into pieces. Bake in the oven until soft, allow to cool for 30 minutes, then purée.

Meanwhile, peel the remaining pumpkin, cut into pieces and sauté in 1 Tbsp of olive oil and 2 Tbsp butter until tender.

In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until just soft (about 2-3 minutes). Stir continuously. 

Add rice and continue to stir for 2-3 minutes. Ensure rice is coated with oil. Add the white wine and continue cooking, stir often, until the rice has absorbed it.

Pour in enough stock to completely cover the rice (about 3 cups). Continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in one cup of stock and stir until it has been absorbed. Add remaining cup and cook, stirring, until rice is al dente (tender but still a little chewy) and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Reduce heat so the risotto doesn't simmer. 

Stir in diced and puréed pumpkin. Stir in Parmesan and 2 Tbsp butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. 

Spoon immediately into heated shallow serving bowls and garnish with parsley.

Serves 4 (generous servings)

Roast pumpkin & orzo/risoni salad

4 servings

Cooking time: about an hour

Dressing:

¼ c olive oil

2 T red wine vinegar

1 t lemon pepper seasoning

1 t honey

Salad:

500 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks

1 red onion, cut into wedges

2 red peppers, cut into chunky pieces

1 t crushed garlic

1 t oregano

2 T olive oil

1 cup orzo/risoni or other small pasta shapes

150 g feta cheese, cut into cubes (optional)

2 T fresh baby basil leaves or chopped parsley

Method:

1. Prepare the dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside.
2. Place the pumpkin, red onion and red peppers in a roasting dish. Add the garlic, oregano and olive oil, and mix thoroughly. Cook in a preheated oven, 200°C, for 40 – 45 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and golden brown.
3.  While the vegetables are roasting, cook the pasta. Add the orzo to a pan of boiling salted water and cook for 5 – 7 minutes or until just tender. Drain thoroughly. Rinse the orzo under cold running water, then drain.
4.   Combine the orzo and vegetables, and stir in the dressing. Place the mixture on a serving platter. Top with the feta cheese, if used, and the basil or parsley. Serve at room temperature as a light meal, or with meat or chicken.

TIPS:

Try pumpkin seeds in place of the feta cheese. Add ¼ cup to the vegetables 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Thai Pumpkin & Kumara Soup (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
non-stick spray oil
1 onion, chopped
2 t oil
1-2 t red curry paste
2 c vegetable or chicken stock
250 - 300 g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
250 - 300 g kumara, peeled and cut into 6 - 8 pieces
400 g coconut cream or coconut flavoured evaporated milk
salt to taste
brown sugar to taste
spring onions, sliced garnish

Method:

1. Coat slow cooker with non-stick spray oil (if you remember, I often don't bother).
2. Cook onion in 2 t oil in frypan until transparent.
3. Add curry paste and about 1/2 c stock to the onion. Stir well to combine curry paste evenly.
4. Transfer to slow cooker.
5. Add remaining stock, pumpkin, kumara and sugar.
6. Cook on HIGH for 3 - 5 hours or LOW 6 - 8 hours. 
7. Add coconut cream or evaporated milk and salt. 
8. Puree until smooth.

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

2 T olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium pumpkin (~ 1.2 kg), peeled and diced
2 c water
400 ml coconut milk
1 – 2 fresh or dried chillies, finely chopped
1 T lemongrass, minced or ½ t finely grated lemon rind
1 T fish sauce
salt
pepper
¼ c fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Method:

1. Heat oil in a big pot and gently cook onion, sugar and garlic until softened (8 – 10 minutes).
2. Add all other ingredients except fresh coriander/parsley and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
3. Mash roughly.
4. Adjust seasonings to taste.Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

Serves 4
Freezes well

The most time consuming part of this recipe is cutting up the pumpkin. You can short circuit this by buying chopped pieces of pumpkin. Aternatively, microwaving a whole pumpkin for 10 minutes makes cutting easier.