Risotto with Saffron and pumpkin.

Risotto con Zucca Gialla e Zafferano ( Saffron and pumpkin risotto)

It was freezing.
George Clooney was hungry.
He wanted risotto.
I wanted sunshine.
We found both.
This divine recipe is adulterated from this lovely food blog emikodavies.com

You need for 8 fashionista as a first course,  2 men as a main course or for 35 models :

60 ml extra virgin olive oil
75 g diced red onion
450 g pumpkin, peeled and diced
sea salt and black pepper to taste
A sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
1 litre hot water
1 litre vegetable broth
760 gms Arborio rice
½ tsp  saffron
20 gm cold unsalted butter
Parmesan cheese (optional)

•    Slip into Chloe faux fur trim coat
•    Pull on furry Birkenstocks
•    Pour a big glass of wine.
•    Ask George Clooney to start chopping and peeling the pumpkin into small ish cubes.
•    Then make him chop the onions while you read latest FiFi Report .
•    Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed (like you will be ) pan over medium heat.
•    Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes.
•    Pour another wine. Gulp.
•    Add the pumpkin, season with salt and pepper and cook for 20 minutes.
•    If pumpkin starts to stick to the pot, add some of the hot water.
•    If the wine starts to stick to you add some cold water.
•    Toss in the rosemary and continue cooking until the pumpkin begins to soften like Prada bag.
•    Guzzle another glass of wine.
•    Combine about 1 cup of the hot water with the vegetable broth and saffron in a saucepan.
•    Heat for about 10 minutes, then set aside, keeping warm.
•    On medium heat, add the rice to the pumpkin mixture and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
•    Add one third of the broth mixture and cook, stirring, until rice absorbs the broth.
•    Add 1 cup of the water, and cook, stirring, until the rice absorbs it.
•    blah blah blah cook risotto…Continue to add broth and water alternately, cooking and stirring, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid between each addition.
•    Cook until the rice is creamy but still al dente – with a bit of a bite.
•    Finally, stir in the divine butter, ladle into serving bowls or plates and serve with a light scattering of Parmesan cheese, if using.
•    NB: be careful not to overpower the delicate flavour of the saffron by using too much cheese.
•    Or drinking too much wine !

** This recipe is also adulterated from this gorgeous book A Family Farm in Tuscany: Recipes and Stories from Fattoria Poggio Alloro