Give your risotto a creamy texture and rich fall flavor by combining pumpkin, Parmesan cheese and warm spices with Arborio rice.

Ingredients

• 12 oz pumpkin (fresh or canned)
• 1 onion, small/medium
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup Parmesan, grated and lightly packed
  
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch pepper

Directions

1. Peel and remove seeds from pumpkin if using fresh and not canned. Cut into relatively small dices. Peel and dice the onion and garlic.
2. Melt butter and warm oil in a medium pan over medium to medium-high heat and add onion. Cook for approximately 5 minutes or until the onion softens, but make sure it doesn’t brown. Reduce heat or add more butter if needed.
3. Add garlic and pumpkin to pan and cook for a few more minutes until it all softens, approximately 5 minutes. This often works best by covering pan with a lid. Mash the pumpkin mixture so that it is a rough puree.
4. Add the risotto to the pan and cook for a minute or two to toast on the outside. Add chicken stock in small amounts (1/2 cup – 1 cup) and allow to be absorbed before adding more. Stir to ensure it doesn’t stick while adding stock.
5. Once risotto is cooked and stock has been absorbed, stir in the nutmeg, pepper and parmesan.