I can’t think of anything more homely than this pumpkin risotto. It sings with the flavours of autumn and winter and is perfect comfort food.

Pureed Pumpkin Risotto with Walnuts.

This risotto recipe is the second exploring similar ingredient and flavour profiles. Both result in very different recipes.

Both hail from Italy, well kinda… and both of them rely on pumpkin puree as their foundation.

Cooking is really simple. It is nothing more than a series of techniques which can all be learned.

Then a set of flavours and textures that work well together. You can play those ideas together in the same way music takes chords and notes to form riffs.

Food is rarely innovative or new, but reworkings of things that make our bellies and taste buds go, mmmmmm.

Just like my earlier pumpkin gnocchi recipe works with my favourite pumpkin buddies, blue cheese, and nuts.

This one uses walnuts and blue cheese. The walnuts provide an earthy counterpoint and the Roquefort an acidity and saltiness.

The Roquefort is a great alternative to the much more common grated parmesan cheese.

If your house is anything like mine you will definitely have some blue cheese and nuts lying around at during winter so why not do something new with them?

How to Make Butternut Squash Puree.

If you are in Europe like me then store-bought puree will be largely unheard of. It is fortunately very easy to make and it freezes very well.

I usually use butternut squash for this as they yield a better quantity for two or the smaller family.

Cut your pumpkin or butternut squash in half, scoop out the seeds and then rub some olive oil into the cut face.

Sprinkle over some salt and pepper and roast for an hour and a half or until soft at 200°C or 400°F.

Then allow to cool and pass through a vegetable mill.

I was never all that keen on pumpkin growing up. In fact, all of my pumpkin recipes are relatively new additions to my cooking repertoire.

I think I was largely put off for many years by its use in so many sweet recipes and over-reliance on something called ‘pumpkin spice’.

But the earthy sweetness works a treat in savoury recipes.

Whilst I am on the topic of spice it really does take well to a little bit of heat as well as classic European flavours in this creamy pumpkin risotto recipe.

Check out my easy pumpkin chili recipe or Burmese pumpkin curry recipe. Both of which really highlight a slightly different spicing that work really well.

But if you want to stick with Italian then my roasted Butternut Squash Pasta plays with spicy chilli too!

Cooking The Perfect Risotto Is Easy.

Like all good risotto recipes, this one is not quick but requires no skill.

If you can stir you can make this, the secret is patience and nothing else.

I have seen all sorts of foolproof shortcut risotto recipes and they always confuse me a little as to why they exist.

This recipe is foolproof, shortcuts are not required!

It does not matter whether you are cooking this, my pea and ham risotto or my spinach and mushroom risotto, the technique is the same.

Fry some risotto rice, add some stock little by little and stir. I find it even easier whilst liberally lubricating your arm with wine and keeping your head clear with good music.

Keep going until the rice is cooked, I’m not sure it gets any more simple than that.

Pureed Pumpkin Risotto with Walnuts

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Pumpkin puree is at the heart of this delicious and comforting pureed squash risotto. It is joined by walnuts for earthiness and Roquefort for salty acidity.

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Ingredients

• 500 ml Vegetable Stock
• 50 g Butter
• 1 Small Onion
• 1 Stick of Celery
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 1 Tsp Dried Sage
• 150 g Arborio Risotto Rice
• 125 ml White Wine
• 150 g Pumpkin Puree
• 25 g Butter
• 50 g Roquefort Cheese
• 50 g Shelled Walnuts
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

1. Finely chop the onion, garlic and celery.
2. Heat the vegetable stock to a slow simmer.
3. In a large frying pan heat the butter over a medium heat and then add the finely chopped onion and celery and cook for 10 mins until softened.
4. Add the rice and garlic, then stir until the grains become translucent at the edges.
5. Turn up the heat to medium-high and add in the white wine and stir until all of the wine has disappeared, then add in the dried sage.
6. Now you need to slowly stir in the hot vegetable stock a ladle full at a time.
7. Stir continually, making sure all of the stock has been incorporated each time and the pan is dry.
8. Repeat this until all of the stock is incorporated and the rice is cooked with a very slight bite which should take between 25 and 35 mins.
9. Now stir in the pumpkin puree and bring to temperature, then place on a lid and allow to rest for 5 mins.
10. Whilst it is resting take the extra 25g of butter and melt in a separate pan and use it to toast off the walnuts.
11. Serve with the butter-toasted walnuts and crumbled Roquefort.

Notes

The amount of salt required will vary greatly depending on your stock so you will need to rely on your taste buds

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 718 Total Fat: 43g Saturated Fat: 25g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 15g Cholesterol: 107mg Sodium: 2039mg Carbohydrates: 49g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 9g Protein: 14g

Calorific details are provided by a third-party application and are to be used as indicative figures only.