Consuming Passions - Worldwide Events Managers

Pumpkin & Blue Cheese Risotto

Serves: 4

Notes

A classic Italian dish gets an Aussie twist with roasted pumpkin and Australia’s champion cheese 2003, King Island Endeavour Blue.

Ingredients

• 600 – 700g pumpkin (or other), peeled and seeds removed
• Sea salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1L – or so – chicken stock
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 150g Blue cheese (preferably King Island Endeavour Blue) cubed
• 1 Tbsp butter
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cut the pumpkin flesh into 2½ – 3 cm chunks. Place in a baking tin and sprinkle with sea salt. Pour over a little olive oil and roast on the centre shelf of a preheated 200°C oven, until the pumpkin is cooked and well browned. Keep the pumpkin warm until you are ready to mix it into the risotto. Bring the chicken stock to the boil and allow it to simmer over very low heat. Fry the onion in a little olive oil in a large sauté pan over low heat, until it starts to brown. Add the rice and continue frying for 1 to 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the onion. Add a ladle of the stock and cook, stirring the rice constantly with a metal spoon. Continue to add the stock as it is absorbed into the rice, until the rice is cooked. It should be firm to the bite, but not chalky. The risotto should be moist and creamy. Quickly stir in the blue cheese and the butter, and then carefully fold in the cubes of roasted pumpkin.