Apple-Pumpkin Risotto With Caramelized Onions (Vegan)

This is a hearty, comforting, autumn delight from BUST magazine's new column, "Nickel and Dined" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, where she presents cheap, fancy, healthy, vegan recipes. Whatever you do, do not omit the caramelized onions. They really pull together all the other flavors. This recipe takes time to make, but it's actually quite easy to throw together, especially if you have all the fruits and vegetables chopped and ready to go before you begin (or recruit a sous chef for that job). Trust me...it's well worth the wait.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  lbs  sugar pumpkin (or any winter squash)
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 2  large sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1⁄2 cups arborio rice
• 1⁄3 cup  dry white wine
• 5  cups vegetable broth, kept warm on the stove top
• 2  green apples, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch chunks
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, then prepare the pumpkin. Hack it in half and remove the seeds and stringy bits with a spoon (Tip; clean the seeds, drizzle them with olive oil, and bake at 350 degrees fro 15 minutes for a delectable snack.) Place pumpkin face down on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork. Remove, let cool, then peel or slice off the skin and chop into bite-size pieces.
2. While the pumpkin is baking, prepare the caramelized onions. Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over low heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the 2 sliced onions, and toss to coat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, leaving a little gap for steam to escape. Stir occasionally. Onions should turn a mellow amber color. Remove cover and turn heat up to medium. Stir often for 10 more minutes or until nice and dark.
3. Start the risotto right after beginning the onions. Have broth warming on the stove before you begin. Preheat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in the oil for about 7 minutes, stirring often. Add the rice, and stir to coat. Add wine, apples, and 1 cup broth. Stir until most of the broth is absorbed. Repeat this step, adding 1 cup of broth at a time, stirring occasionally, until you have 1 cup left. It should take about 45 minutes. Add the pumpkin (it should be ready by this point) and the last cup of broth and stir. When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add the nutmeg and cinnamon. Also add salt and pepper, to taste, if desired. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Let sit for 10 minutes, then serve in bowls and top with caramelized onions.