Pumpkin Risotto

Preheat oven to 200ºC (390ºF).

Toss pumpkin with olive oil in a large bowl. Arrange coated pumpkin on a baking tray, season with salt and roast for 20–25 minutes, until al dente. Take out a quarter of the pumpkin, set aside and then continue to cook the rest of the pumpkin for 10 more minutes.

In a medium pot, bring the stock to boiling point and turn off heat and put a lid on the pot.

Back to the pumpkin, add the tender cooked pumpkin to a food processor and blend with a ladleful of stock, adding a little at a time until mixture is smooth.

In a large sauté pan over a medium heat, add half of the butter and sauté shallots for 5 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and sauté for an additional minute. Add risotto rice and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the white wine cook for another 2 minutes until wine has evaporated.

With a ladle, add enough stock to cover the rice and turn heat down to a simmer. Stir constantly and keep adding ladlefuls of stock, just enough to cover the rice, until rice is soft and has a slight bite. This should take about 15 minutes.

Stir in pumpkin puree and add the diced pumpkin. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring slowly.

Turn off heat and add the rest of the butter, Parmesan and season with freshly grated nutmeg. Stir well until mixture is fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve fresh from the pan with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan, fresh parsley, and a drizzle of pumpkin oil.