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From the great one of Charlie Brown lore to those carved up right outside your door, pumpkins are the most festive fruit of fall. They also double as a savory ingredient in plenty of delicious dishes. Increasingly, chefs are creating more and more innovative recipes to make the most of this orange-hued beauty.
At Cliff Cottage Inn – Luxury B&B Suites and Historic Cottages in Eureka Springs, AR, experimentation has lead to delectable and distinctive culinary success with their palate-pleasing Pumpkin Walnut Risotto. As the only B&B in Eureka Springs with an elf who delivers a full-gourmet breakfast right to your suite – and pops a complimentary bottle of Champagne or white wine into your fridge to greet you when you arrive – we’d expect nothing less!
- 6-7 cups chicken stock (canned is fine)
- One 3″ cinnamon stick
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 15-oz. pureed pumpkin, canned
- Coarse sea salt & white pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine (Riesling or Chardonnay are good for this)
- ¼ cup Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, freshly shredded or finely shaved
- ¾ cup walnuts, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- In large saucepan, heat (but do not boil) chicken stock with cinnamon stick for about 15 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and keep stock warm.
- Heat another large pot until very hot, reduce to medium-high and add oil, then add the butter. Sauté onion and garlic until onion begins to soften but not burn.
- Stir rice into the mixture until it is all coated well then add wine and cook on medium-high until wine has evaporated, stirring constantly so it won’t burn.
- Add nutmeg to the rice mixture and stir in well.
- Next, add 1 cup of warm stock to the rice, reduce heat so that mixture simmers.
- Stir often and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
- Repeat with another cup of stock and continue stirring, adding stock until rice is almost tender but still has some bite to it.
- When all stock has been added and absorbed, stir in the pumpkin, cheese, salt and pepper and keep gently stirring on medium-low heat until all is well mixed.
