Rosemary Pumpkin Risotto

Pumpkins provide wonderful culinary flavors to enjoy over the fall season. In addition to their delicious taste, pumpkins are highly nutritious and contain many vitamins and minerals. Beta-carotene, the compound that gives pumpkins their orange color, is an excellent antioxidant and gets converted in the body to Vitamin A, which supports vision, skin, and immune function. Access to pumpkin seeds is an additional bonus that comes with eating fresh pumpkin. Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of zinc, magnesium, and healthy fat, and are delicious toasted in the oven. In California, there are plenty of locally grown pumpkin varieties to try, which all provide a unique taste experience.

Ingredients:

·      1 small-medium pumpkin of your choice (I used a Blaze pumpkin for this recipe)

·      1 cup Arborio Rice

·      3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

·      4 sprigs of rosemary

·      ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

·      1 cup dry white wine or water (for deglazing)

·      4 tbps grapeseed oil

·      ¼ tsp of each of the following seasonings: salt, pepper, chilli powder, cumin

Directions:

·      Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds and set aside

·      Roast pumpkin on baking sheet covered with tin foil at 350F for 50 minutes or until meat is soft

·      While pumpkin is cooking, prepare the seeds: wash off stringy pulp, drizzle with grapeseed oil, season with desired amount of salt, pepper, chilli powder, and cumin, and toast in the oven, turning regularly with spatula, until golden brown (about 15 minutes)

·      Fry rosemary sprigs in grapeseed oil over medium heat until crispy, then remove and set aside on paper towel

·      Once pumpkin is cooked, remove meat from skin with a fork and whisk or blend into stock

·      Add Arborio rice to pan with remaining rosemary-infused grapeseed oil and stir regularly over medium heat until translucent

·      Deglaze with 1 cup dry white wine or water

·      Gradually ladle warm pumpkin-stock mix over Arborio rice until cooked through

·      Stir in grated parmesan

·      Season with salt and pepper

·      Garnish with crispy rosemary and toasted pumpkin seeds

Disclaimer: this information is meant to be general and for informational purposes only. It is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a licensed healthcare practitioner for personal medical care and prior to starting new treatment.