Pumpkin Risotto with Feta & Oregano

Serves 8 people

One of my all time favourite dishes! The pumpkin risotto on its own is amazing, but with the feta, once it has been softened by the heat of the dish, gives a beautiful smooth, slightly salty texture. The oregano also compliments the dish adding a burst of freshness in every mouthful. My family and I are always fighting over who gets the most feta and oregano in their servings and I'm sure you will be doing just the same!

Risotto's are very versatile, you can put just about anything into them and are guaranteed to be happy with the result.  The trick is however, to keep your ingredients simple. You don't want to overpower one ingredient with another and so on. The downer is the preparation time, it does take a good hour or so, but trust me the result is mouth watering! Eat as a main meal, entree or accompaniment.

Pumpkin Risotto with Feta and Oregano

Ingredients

• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 2 litres chicken/vegetable stock
• 1 cup/250ml white wine
• 1/4 of a whole jap/kent pumpkin grated
• 50g & 15g unsalted butter
• 1 medium brown/white onion finely diced
• 250g feta cubed (I use a soft goats-cheese feta)
• 2 tbsps fresh oregano finely chopped
• Hot water on standby (fill your kettle)
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt 15g of butter in a non-stick saucepan and add the grated pumpkin. Once the pumpkin is heated through add about 1/4 cup of hot water and simmer stirring occasionally until the pumpkin becomes a puree. This may take 15-20 mins. Add more water if the pumpkin begins sticking to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
2. In the meantime heat the chicken stock in a saucepan to be ready for the rice. 
3. In a large heavy based saucepan melt the remaining butter, add the onion and simmer on low heat until the onions become translucent, usually around 5 mins. 
4. Add the Arborio rice and stir until the rice is heated through for about 5 mins. Add the wine and stir until absorbed.
5. Using a ladle add about 2 spoonfuls of stock into the rice (enough to just cover the rice), stir through and leave to simmer. Once  it appears to be absorbed add another 2 spoonfuls, stir through and simmer. There is no need to constantly stir the rice, only when the stock has been absorbed or you think it might be sticking to the pan. 
6. Keep adding stock until you have run out. At this point, try the rice for flavour and cooking time. If it needs more flavour add some salt, bearing in mind that most of the flavour will come from the pumpkin. Rice should be firm but cooked through, if the rice needs more cooking time, keep adding hot water in the same amount you added the stock. 
7. Once rice is cooked and the liquid has been absorbed add the cooked pumpkin and stir through. Taste again for flavour and the Risotto is finished.
8. Transfer to your serving dish and sprinkle with feta and oregano and serve. 

Hints!

• Add 1 tbsp of fresh thyme into the pumpkin puree when cooking. It just gives that little extra oomph!
• When melting butter in a pan, add a little drizzle of olive oil. This makes sure your butter never burns.
• The recipe may need more that 2 litres of chicken stock for absorption. Feel free to add more if your like. I just prefer adding hot water instead because the risotto will have enough stock flavour by then.