Ingredients:
- 1 onion, finely diced- Olive oil
- 2 cloves of crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons basil pesto
- 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
- Approximately 300g of pumpkin, grated
- 200g mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 3 cups of hot water or vegetable stock*
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Fresh basil
Method:
1. Fry the onion and garlic in a large saucepan or frying pan and cook for about three minutes until the onion has softened. Add the grated pumpkin and sliced mushrooms and heat through, stirring frequently.2. Remove the vegetables from the heat, place them in another dish, and set aside.
3. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan and place on a high heat. Add the rice and fry it off for a couple of minutes, and then add the vegetable mixture. Stir gently, add the white wine and one cup of the hot water or stock, and reduce the heat. Let the mixture simmer and stir every now and then until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
4. Add another cup of the liquid, stir occasionally, and again – let it simmer until the liquid has absorbed. Repeat this process until you have added all of the stock and continue to stir it frequently. Test the rice to see if it is cooked, and if not, add some hot water and repeat the process until the grains are tender (take care not to over-cook it, there’s a fine line between creamy risotto and sticky mush).
5. Once this rice is cooked, stir through the pesto and the parmesan. Season with salt and black pepper and serve with parmesan shavings, freshly chopped basil, and blanched broccoli.
*If you’re ever boiling vegetables, it’s a good idea to keep the water you usually drain off. You can freeze this and use it as stock for soups, risottos, casseroles etc. #thanksma