Pumpkin, blue cheese and sage risotto
Fancy a Michelin style meal without the Michelin price-tag? Angela Hartnett cooks up a beautiful risotto to enjoy in your very own home.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
300g pumpkin, dicedSalt and freshly ground black pepper2 tbsp olive oil150g cold butter, diced1 small onion or 2 small shallots, chopped1 x clove of garlic, crushed300g Arborio risotto rice100ml white wineAbout 1.5 litres hot vegetable stockFlat leaf parsley, chopped and mixed with the remaining butter100-200gms fresh Parmesan, finely grated100gms GorgonzolaSage leaves, fried in little oil until crispy
Method
Place the diced pumpkin or squash onto a roasting try and drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven at 180c and roast for 25 minutes or until cooked and golden.
For the risotto heat the oil and 25g of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes
Turn up the heat and add the wine - it should sizzle as it hits the pan. Cook for about 2 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
Once the liquid has reduced, begin by adding the hot stock a ladleful at a time over a medium heat, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next, and stirring continuously. The rice should always be moist but not swimming in liquid. The process of adding and stirring should take about 16 - 18 minutes.
Stir in the roasted pumpkin and remove from the heat before stirring through the herb butter and the parmesan
Pour into a bowl and scatter with the gorgonzola and fried crisp sage leaves