CREAMY PUMPKIN RISOTTO

Ingredients:

1 quart Rich Vegetable stock (recipe follows)

2 cups fresh pie pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut in ½” cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ cup Spanish onions, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped

¼ cup + freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the stock to a simmer.  Add the pumpkin pieces to cook while making the risotto.

Heat the oil in a heavy 4 quart saucepan.  Sauté the onions for 2 minutes, stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.  Add the rice and coat the pieces in the hot fat.  Pour in the wine and turn up the heat to cook off the liquid rapidly.  Over medium-low heat stir in the hot stock in three installments waiting for the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more.  At the end of this 20 minute or so period the rice will have become softened and creamy.

Off the heat stir in the tender pumpkin pieces.  Fold in the pumpkin seed pieces and cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Pass more cheese at the table.

Yield: 4 servings