Pumpkin and Spinach Risotto

The crisp fall air and turning of leaves gets me excited for none other than the pumpkin patch. This year my husband, friends, and I traveled to Lynd's Fruit Farm to join in the pumpkin festivities and walk through their market of home grown vegetables, home made jams, and freshly made peanut butter. In true me fashion, I could not decide on just one perfectly plump pumpkin and we ended up coming home with 7, making our grand total on our porch of 9 pumpkins.

To sustain the pumpkin theme for the day, I was inspired to create a pumpkin risotto and as I opened my fridge I made the last minute decision to throw in some spinach which added a nice punch of flavor and color to the plate. The sweet and savory flavors were boosted with the inclusion of garlic, shallots, and paprika along with pure maple syrup and nutmeg; making it a perfect fall dish for those cool nights.


The Recipe

1 heaping cup arborio rice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp yogurt butter
1 shallot
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp paprika
3/4 tsp pure maple syrup
3 cups vegetable broth
3/4 c pumpkin puree
1 1/3 cup white cooking wine
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
dash of salt and pepper

1. Take 3/4 c pumpkin puree and mix in paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper; set aside.
2. Heat olive oil and butter over medium heat and add shallots until translucent. Add minced garlic until fragrant.
3. Stir in rice until coated and cook for about 5 minutes or until rice begins to brown. Add in cooking wine and stir until absorbed.
4. After wine is absorbed, add vegetable broth 1/3 cup at a time and stir until. Continue process until all the vegetable broth is used and rice is cooked through; typically takes 20-25 minutes.
5. Once rice is finished, add pumpkin mixture, spinach, parmesan cheese, and pure maple syrup; mix thoroughly.