Risotto doesn’t need to have butter and cheese to be rich and creamy. We use California grown Koda Rice which has a creamy starchiness to satisfy any carnivore. Here our Chef Matt puts kids to the task of making this dish at our Holiday Party for Alliance of Children’s Rights. See it HERE.
INGREDIENTS:
2 Pumpkins or Large Butternut Squash, Peeled, Seeded and cut in large pieces about 1-2” cubes
***Pumpkin Varieties that work well: Acorn Squash, Butternut Squash, Kabocha, Sweet Dumpling)
2 Onions, peeled and diced
6 Garlic Cloves, peeled, sliced
8 cups Vegetable Stock or water
1 Cup Maple Syrup
1 Cup White Wine
1 Head of Green Kale, cleaned and sliced
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds, Toasted lightly on olive oil and salt
3 Cups Uncooked Brown Rice
1 Cup Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
PROCEDURE:
Preheat oven to 425 Degrees.
Line Baking Sheet with Aluminum Foil. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, onions and garlic with ½ cup of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix and transfer to baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until toasted on the tips and the pumpkin is tender. (Check by tasting or sticking a toothpick/knife into the pumpkin to see if it goes in and out easily) Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
In the soup pot, combine 6 cups of the vegetable stock/water, maple syrup, 1/2cup Olive Oil and white wine and bring to a boil for 3 minutes. Add rice, stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with Aluminum Foil for 25 minutes or until “al dente” or desired tenderness. With your slotted spoon. Remove from heat and leave covered until you serve
With the remaining 2 cups of Vegetable Stock, add 50% of the roasted Pumpkin, Onion and Garlic Mix and boil for an additional 2 minutes. Blend until smooth.
Combine the Kale and remaining roasted Pumpkin in the Mixing Bowl.
Transfer rice to bake-able serving dish and cover with Pumpkin Puree, Roasted Pumpkin and Kale and transfer to the casserole dish and bake in oven until toasty on top.
Garnish with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds and a drizzle of Olive Oil to serve.
