Pumpkin Risotto

The creamy texture and subtle sweetness of roasted pumpkin goes incredibly well with salty Pecorino cheese, and the two meet harmoniously stirred through grains of perfectly cooked rice. Seasonal aromatics and sweet alliums accentuate the floral and pungent notes of the pumpkin, which is all brightened nicely with the subtle acidity of saffron and some white wine. Topped with baked pumpkin chips, this classic risotto with an autumn twist will warm you from the inside out.

Serves 2–4

1 medium sized pumpkin or squash, for puree
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (like dry Riesling)
3–5 strands spanish saffron
2 quarts pumpkin stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped ginger, reserving trimmings for stock
¼ cup minced shallot, reserving trimmings and skins for stock
1 cup finely diced white onion, reserving trimmings and skins for stock
1 cup finely diced fennel, reserving trimmings for stock
2 cups pumpkin purée 
¼ cup chopped fresh thyme and sage leaves, plus more for garnish, reserving stems for stock
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for garnish
½ cup fried pumpkin chips for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut your pumpkin in half horizontally and scoop out the guts. Separate the seeds for roasting and snacking and save the guts for pumpkin stock.

Place cleaned pumpkin halves face up on a large baking tray. Drizzle some olive oil inside the halves and season aggressively with salt. Flip the pumpkins over on the tray so they are face down, and place in the oven. Cook for about one hour, or until the outside skin is soft to the touch and leaves an impression when prodded. Remove from the oven and flip pumpkins face up to cool. Once cooled enough to handle, scoop the fruit away from the skin with a large spoon or rubber spatula; reserve skin. Line a strainer or colander with cheesecloth or a thin dish towel and squeeze the roasted pumpkin out in the towel to remove some of the juices. Save these juices, as they will be used in the pumpkin stock that the risotto is cooked in. 

Once you have squeezed out most of the residual juices, transfer the strained pumpkin to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Set aside once blended. (This puree can also be used instead of store-bought cans for any of your favorite pumpkin recipes.)

In a large pot, combine the reserved roasted pumpkin juices, the roasted pumpkin skins and guts, scraps from your vegetable prep (onion bits, shallot skins, fennel pieces, ginger peels, thyme and sage sprigs). Add enough liquid to cover and bring to a light boil for about 30 minutes. Strain and return to stove, composting the vegetable scraps left behind. You should try to yield about two quarts of liquid, but if you have less, just add water to give you to the desired volume. This liquid will be the stock used to cook the risotto. Keep warm on the stove, over low heat. Using warm stock ensures that the rice will not undergo severe temperature changes, and in turn produce a perfect, evenly cooked risotto. 

Place the wine and saffron in a small saucepan over medium low heat and bring to just below a simmer. Remove from heat and allow the saffron to steep in the wine for at least ten minutes. While the wine steeps, begin cooking the risotto. 

In a large, high-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven, add two tablespoons of butter. Melt the butter over high heat, then add the minced shallot, ginger, fennel and onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about five minutes until the aromatics have softened and turned translucent, being careful not to let them stick to the pan. Next, add the rice and one more tablespoon of butter. Listen for the rice to crackle and pop and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. Stir the rice around so that it fries in the butter and vegetables. Once the crackling has stopped, season the rice again with salt. Pour the steeped white wine into the pan, straining it through a sieve to remove the saffron threads. 

Bring to a boil and reduce the wine almost completely, until the pan is nearly dry again. Once the wine has almost completely cooked off, start adding pumpkin stock: At first, add enough to cover the rice completely, about 8 ounces, or two ladles full. Stir the rice constantly. Once the stock has reduced by at least half, add another 8 ounces of stock. Repeat this process one or two more times, adding slightly less stock each time, and keep over medium heat. 

Once the grains of rice begin to change color from pure white to slightly translucent, increase the heat to high. Cook the remaining stock out almost completely, while stirring constantly. Add the pumpkin purée and continue to stir and cook until the risotto appears viscous and gooey. Add the last tablespoon of butter and cook until the risotto seems tight and clings together. Add almost all the cheese and chopped herbs, reserving a few pinches for garnish; remove from the heat and keep stirring.

The risotto should be saucy, but still very much homogenous and tight. If it appears too loose, you can either return it to the heat and continue cooking to reduce slightly, or just add more cheese to tighten it up. Taste the risotto and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with some more freshly grated Pecorino cheese and herbs. 

This recipe appeared as an online exclusive in November 2019 as part of a larger story on Pumpkins.