20 March 2011
Posted in Vegetarian

March 21, 2011

A risotto with a colourful presentation with refreshing tomatoes and pumpkin. 

 

The road that runs through the hinterland of Byron Bay in New South Wales, occupies the company of talented painters, actors, fashion designers, models and writers; all of who have laid down their nest in this tranquil and subtropical surroundings. A glimpse of the ocean can be seen from the hilltop as it stems out from the mainland of Australia's most easterly point. I have been coming here for years now and I once lived off this road, but my recent drive to the area had started off in somewhat uncertainty. Today, the new highway route connects the Gold Coast in Queensland to the Northern Beaches of N.S.W; this I love as my journey to visit my friends from the two Australian states will prove to be a whole lot quicker but only once I have familiarised myself with the new turn offs in the area.

My last rendezvous with Diana was a five-day romp around the sights of Paris and in heels, but on this day our footwear took on a different look by wearing just our thongs (of the foot rubber variety) or no shoes at all, it was a humid day with unpredictable rains. Diana prepared a lunch of tamari and honey marinated barbequed chicken and a tomato and pumpkin risotto, whose colours had blended in nicely with the flora of Diana's garden! As I ate with my good friend and fabulous risotto maker, we (her hubby also) caught up on all the titbits of the past few years. Here you can see Diana making a tribute to the Australian community with a topic that would raise a discussion in the household.

Recipe and cooking by Diana. 

 Serves 6

 1 cup risotto rice
 12 cherry tomatoes
 1 large onion, chopped
 4 cups of chicken stock and 1 cup of dry white wine.
 Parsley for garnish and to add with the onion, chopped.
 100g grated parmesan
 ½ Pumpkin
 2 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
 Fresh rosemary, 3 Tablespoons
 40g Butter for frying 

 

Method

1. Peel and cut the pumpkin into chunks, add roast in a preheated oven at 180°C (320°F) with the rosemary for 45 minutes.
2. Simmer 4 cups of chicken stock and add a handful of pumpkin until heated trough and ready to use. 
3. Fry the onion in a pan with the butter with a handful of parsley.
4. Add 1 cup of rice into the pan and add the wine. Stir quickly until absorbed.
5. Slowly add a ladle of the chicken stock and some pumpkin pieces at one time and stir occasionally until liquid has evaporated. Repeat the process until the rice is cooked through.
6. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan, some tomatoes and salt if needed (the consistency should be creamy and not stiff).
7. Put into a serving dish and add the pumpkin pieces, cherry tomatoes and garnish with some parsley.