Recipe & food styling Ali Irvine

Serving size: Serves 4
Cuisine type: Italian
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Special options: Vegetarian
Course: Main
Convenience recipes: Budget

Real Living Easter recipe for Pumpkin and rocket risotto

INGREDIENTS

4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups water
1½ tbsp olive oil
70g cold butter, cubed
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1kg butternut pumpkin, skin removed & cut into 2cm cubes
1½ tbsp fresh thyme leaves
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
Sea salt flakes & cracked black pepper
1 cup finely grated parmesan
60g baby rocket leaves

Equipment
Sharp knife
Medium & large saucepans with lids
Wooden spoon
Ladle

METHOD

Bring stock & water to simmer in medium saucepan. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and half the butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, pumpkin and thyme to saucepan. Cook for 8 mins.

Add rice to pan and cook for further 2 mins, stirring to coat each grain with buttery juices.

Add wine to pot and cook for 2 mins to burn off alcohol.

Add hot stock 1 ladleful at a time, adding another ladleful when previous has been absorbed. Stir regularly for about 17 mins. Remove from heat when all but 1 ladleful of stock has been added and rice is just al dente (firm to the bite).

Stir through most of parmesan, and remaining stock and butter. Add tight-fitting lid and allow risotto to sit for a few mins.

Serve Season risotto with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir through rocket before spooning into bowls. Sprinkle over remaining parmesan.