When friends and family give me produce from their gardens, I want to make something really special with it to express my gratitude. Even though it's summertime, I've had risotto on my mind.
I've also been planning my 2010 Thanksgiving Dinner as if I'm hosting, though that hasn't been discussed yet. I think it's inevitable. I digress.
I made risotto with the pumpkin, and lightened the dish up for summertime with fresh mint, ginger, and lemony coriander seeds. It was fantastic!
Summer Pumpkin Risotto
Ingredients (serves 2 with leftovers):
3 scallions, chopped1 clove garlic, chopped1 tablespoon margarine1 tablespoon olive oil1 cup arborio rice1/4 teaspoon Chinese five spice1 teaspoon coriander seeds, bruised1 pinch nutmeg1/2 cup white wine3 1/2 cups hot homemade vegetable brothsalt and pepper (you decide how much, but be generous with the sea salt throughout this recipe)1/4 cup nutritional yeast1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger2 tablespoon fresh mint, chiffonaded (plus more for garnish)1 1/2 cups chunks of oven-roasted pumpkin1/2 cup pureed roasted pumpkinhandful of fresh spinach3 tablespoons salty-sweet toasted seeds (recipe follows)Directions:
Heat homemade broth in a small pot and keep warm on the stove.Heat margarine and oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add scallions, garlic and salt to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Add rice, Chinese five-spice, coriander seeds, and nutmeg, and stir until the rice is well coated and opaque. Add wine, and stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid is absorbed.Add one ladle of hot broth and stir slowly and continuously with your wooden spoon until the liquid is pretty much absorbed. It helps to think good, absorbing thoughts while massaging the rice with the spoon - I swear!Add another ladle of broth. Stir until absorbed. Repeat until the broth is gone and/or the rice tastes cooked with a very slight bite. It should be soft, but not mush! It should also be runny enough to ooze to the edges of a plate, but not soup. At this point, stir in S&P, nutritional yeast, pureed pumpkin, fresh grated ginger, fresh mint, chunks of roasted pumpkin, and spinach, stir, and let cook for another couple of minutes.Serve garnished with salty-sweet toasted seeds and more fresh mint.Salty-Sweet Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
Place 3 tbsp raw pumpkin or sunflower seeds in a dry pan on medium-low heat.Toast until slightly brown and nutty, shaking the pan occasionally to prevent burning.Drizzle with a few drops of soy sauce and agave nectar.Remove seeds from pan to cool, so the glaze hardens.
