Orzotto Con Zucca (Barley & Pumpkin Risotto)

Submitted by -Sylvie-

"This is a Matthew Ford recipe from the Guardian's weekend magazine. Using barley makes a nice change from rice and it's good for you as well. If you want you can also add sautéed mushrooms or shredded meat. I often use butternut squash instead of pumpkin as it's more widely available here."

 

• Ready In: 1hr
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 140 g barley
• 2 2 liters chicken stock or 2 liters game stock
• 600 g pumpkin or 600 g butternut squash, cut into chunks
• 30 g butter
• 30 g grated parmesan cheese
• salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste

directions

1. Bring the stock to the boil in a large pan, add the barley and simmer until done, about 40 minutes. If you want you can add some chopped mushrooms to this for the last 5-10 minutes.
2. Microwave, boil or roast the pumpkin until soft. I usually roast mine with a few sprigs of thyme for extra flavour.
3. Put the cooked pumpkin together with the butter into a blender and process to a puree.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Add the puree to the barley and season again with salt and pepper.
6. Just before serving mix the parmesan into the 'risotto'.
7. Serve hot with fresh crusty bread.

Reviews

[Annisette]

Yum! Used the vegetable broth option, and canned pumpkin. The parmesan cheese really makes this taste so good! Thanks!!

 

[Kaarin]

Mmmm...wonderfully warming for a cold day like today. I used a vegetable broth mix #113354 for the stock, which I thought seasoned this richly. I also used frozen pumpkin puree. Easy to make, and delicious. Thank you!

 

[Mrs B]

Mmmmmm, this is great comfort food! It is easy to make and tastes wonderful. I suspected I'd need less stock, so started off with about half the quantity and added more as the stock was absorbed; in the end I did use a bit less. However I was probably generous with the butter and cheese :-) (I used mature chedder) and served this with vegetarian sausages. Sylvie, I hope you get round to making this dish soon. We'll definately be having it again!