Making risotto is almost hypnotic. You can feel your stress gradually melt away with each ladle full of broth added to the rice. Everything else is paused and there is nothing else that needs doing except to slowly stir and watch dinner come together.

Or maybe it is the fact that it is literally impossible to make risotto without a glass of wine in your hand.

This risotto is dark and rich, it is perfect for the cold evenings of fall. It can be vegetarian or not, depending on the type of broth you choose.

Ingredients:

• Roasted pumpkin
  • 1 pie/sugar pumpkin (or 1 butternut squash)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp fresh sage (or use herb butter)
  • 1 pinch salt
• Seared mushrooms
  • 8 cups sliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/8 tsp salt
• Risotto
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
  • 4 cups broth (veggie or chicken)
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp fresh sage (or use herb butter)
  • 1 tsp fresh rosemary

Directions:

1. Prepare roasted pumpkin
   • Preheat oven to 375 degrees f
   • Cut open the pumpkin, cut into large chunks (about 8) and remove the icky bits (keep the seeds to roast!)
   • Drizzle with olive oil
   • Bake for 25-30 minutes – until just barely fork-tender
   • Remove pumpkin skin and chop flesh into cubes
   • Toss with butter (1 tbsp), sage (1 tsp) and salt (1 pinch)
   • Roast for an additional 15 minutes
   • Set aside
2. Sear mushrooms
   • Melt butter (1 tbsp) with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat
   • Add mushrooms (8 cups) and salt (1/8 tsp) and stir
   • Sauté until mushrooms have lost their liquid, the liquid is gone and the mushrooms are beginning to brown
   • Remove from heat and set aside
3. Prepare risotto
   • Bring broth (4 cups) to a slow simmer in a small pot
   • In a large pot, melt butter (2 tbsp) over medium heat
   • Add onion (1) and garlic (4 cloves) and sauté until onion is translucent
   • Add rice (1 1/2 cups) and stir for 30 seconds
   • Add wine (1 cup) and stir until fully absorbed (2-3 minutes)
   • Now is the time for the risotto magic: add the broth to the rice one ladle at a time, allowing the broth to be fully absorbed before adding the next
   • Once all of the broth is gone, add parmesan cheese (1 cup), butter (2 tbsp), sage (1 tsp) and rosemary (1 tsp) and stir until the cheese and butter have melted
   • Add mushrooms and pumpkin pieces, let heat up if necessary, and serve immediately