Pumpkin, Verjuice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Risotto

Aug 31, 2020
Maggie Beer's Pumpkin verjuice and extra virgin olive oil risotto

Maggie Beer says it is a personal preference thing whether you like your risotto runny or firm.  Either way, this Pumpkin, Verjuice and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Risotto is just packed with flavour.

Ingredients

700g pumpkin peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes – weigh after peeling and cutting
6 tbspn Extra Virgin Olive Oil
To taste freshly ground black pepper
To taste sea salt
2/3 cup Verjuice
1.0L Chicken Stock
1 large onion finely chopped
80g unsalted butter
400g arborio rice
½ cup flat leaf parsley
100g parmesan freshly grated

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C.
  2. Place the pumpkin pieces on to a tray, drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper. Bake for 10 minutes until pumpkin edges become a little caramelised. Deglaze with one to two tablespoons of Verjuice and cook pumpkin for a further 2 minutes.
  3. Heat the Vegetable Stock in a saucepan over medium heat.
  4. In a separate wide based pan or shallow sided large saucepan, sauté onion in the Extra Virgin Olive Oil and butter until golden.
  5. When the onion is cooked, add the rice and stir to coat. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes and increase the temperature. Make a well in the centre of the rice and add the Verjuice. Continue to stir until liquid evaporates. Reduce heat, adding a ladle full of stock and stirring until all stock has been taken up by the rice. Add one third of the pumpkin at this stage. Repeat this process stirring continuously until three quarters of the stock has been used. It should take approximately 20 minutes. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper.
  6. Add the remaining pumpkin and pan juices. Increase the heat, add a little more Chicken Stock and flat leaf parsley and check the rice is cooked. Add three tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Remove pan from heat and stir in the parmigiano.