Pumpkin Risotto with Cajun Shrimp

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut your choice of winter squash in half, remove seeds and membranes, brush the cut side with oil and salt, put it into a baking dish cut side down and roast at 350 F for 45 minutes, or until soft. Once cooked, remove it from the oven and remove the skin. Puree half of the squash flesh and leave the other half chopped. Set both aside.

Next you’ll prepare your risotto. In a small pan, heat chicken stock over low heat.

In a thick bottomed pan, saute diced onion and garlic over medium heat with the oil. When onions are beginning to become opaque, add the short grain rice. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the rice starts to become see-through. Be sure to season with salt and pepper throughout the cooking (always check for seasoning at the end). De-glaze pan by stirring in the white wine. Continue to stir and cook down the wine for five more minutes to make sure alcohol has burned off.

Now add the pureed pumpkin (about 1 cup; use the rest for another purpose). Stir in pumpkin to mix with the rice and wine. Begin to add the chicken stock 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring and allowing each portion of stock to absorb into the rice before adding the next scoop. Continue to cook the risotto like this until you’ve used all the stock. Towards the end, as the rice begins to expand and become creamy and soft, add the diced pumpkin. Finish by stirring in the grated Parmesan. Keep warm while you make the shrimp.

In a shallow bowl, mix together the Cajun and cayenne seasonings then coat shrimp in the spices.

In a non-stick pan cook the shrimp over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes per side or until nice and pink. Halfway through, add a little bit of water to create some steam and allow a spicy sauce to form with the seasonings.

Plate your risotto. Top risotto with shrimp and garnish with cilantro.