Pumpkin Risotto

Wife loves pumpkin, wife loves risotto, so being the good hubby that I am *ahem*... what do I do? I whip up a plate of pumpkin risotto! I added some bacon and a poached egg for my benefit =).

Pumpkin Risotto with Poached Egg and Bacon

I felt that the egg made the meal a little bit more substantial. The risotto was sweet which made crispy bacon and grated Parmesan the perfect complements. But then again, bacon is already perfect on its own.

Here's what I used to serve 2

Ingredients:
300grams pumpkin - diced into small cubes.
150 grams Arborio or Carnaroli rice. (Arborio is what you see in the picture)
4 cloves garlic - chopped
1/2 yellow onion - finely diced
700ml chicken stock
salt and pepper
Oil for frying

Topping and garnish:
4 rashers streaky bacon
2 poached eggs (poached eggs video by an instructor from CIA)
Freshly grated Parmesan

Steps:

1. Place the chicken stock in a small pot and keep it hot over the stove, at a very gentle simmer.

2. To prepare the bacon, place in an oven at 170 Degrees Celsius for about 15-20 mins to get them nice and crispy. When done, remove from oven and place on a plate with a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.

3. In a small frying pan, heat about a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. When heated, cook the pumpkin in the pan till they start to turn soft. About 7 mins or so.

4. Set aside 2-3 tablespoons for garnish (optional). Put the rest of the pumpkin in a blender and blend till smooth. Add some hot water, a little bit at a time to ease the blending. Once blended smooth, set aside in a bowl.

5. In a saucepan or pot, add in a tablespoon of oil and heat over medium heat. When oil is heated, add in onions and fry for 1 min. The add the garlic and stir fry for about 2-3 mins, until the onions begin to turn soft.

6. Add in the rice and mix well. Stirring gently and frequently. Cook for about 3-4 mins. Add in the chicken stock one ladle at a time, adding the next ladle when the existing stock with the rice is almost completely absorbed by the rice. Repeating this for the next 20 mins.

7. At 20 mins, taste and check if the rice is cooked but still has some bite in the middle. (Al dente). Once you get the doneness of the rice that you want, turn down heat to the lowest and add in the pumpkin puree, mixing it well with the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. Dish onto shallow bowls and top with the cooked diced pumpkin, a poached egg and crispy bacon. Garnish generously with grated Parmesan cheese.

Of course no post with a poached egg is complete without a shot of the oozing runny yolk! =P

The runny yolk....

Have a favorite risotto recipe to share? Do leave a comment!