roast pumpkin risotto

Serves 4

This is somewhat of a cheat's risotto using a rice cooker that doesn't compromise on taste but is a lot easier and quicker than cooking it on the cooktop or in the oven - but if you don't have a rice cooker, feel free to cook this recipe the traditional way by slowly adding 1 cup of hot stock to the risotto at a time until it is absorbed. You will also need twice as much stock if cooking with this method.

Poppy cooks…

1. Preheat oven to 200˚C.
   
   
2. Place
   500g butternut pumpkin, diced on a baking tray. Coat with
   olive oil and
   celtic sea salt and cracked black pepper. Bake for 40 minutes or until slightly caramelised.
   
   
3. Turn on your rice cooker and sauté an
   onion, diced and
   4 cloves garlic, minced.
   
   
4. Add
   1/2 teaspoon curry powder,
   1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg,
   1.5 cups arborio rice and stir to mix.
   
   
5. Stir in
   1 cup white wine and leave for a few minutes.
   
   
6. Then add
   500ml vegetable stock.
   
   
7. When the rice cooker has finished cooking the risotto, and the pumpkin is roasted, add the pumpkin to the rice and stir through.
   
   
8. Serve risotto with
   pepitas,
   parsley, chopped and
   dried cranberries.

chicken risotto

Serves 4

Ingredients

500g chicken tenderloins, chopped into bite-size pieces

olive oil

celtic sea salt + cracked black pepper

onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 cups arborio rice

500ml chicken stock

1 cup hot water

tin of diced tomato

1 cup sliced green beans

2 tablespoons basil leaves, sliced

Method

1. Cook chicken in rice cooker with oil and seasoning. Remove and place in a separate bowl
2. Cook onion and garlic in rice cooker. Add additional oil if necessary
3. Add rice and toss to coat with oil
4. Add stock, water and tomato. Stir and cover with lid
5. When most of the liquid is absorbed (but before the rice cooker turns itself off) add beans and stir through
6. When the rice cooker turns itself off stir through chicken and basil leaves

Notes
If you don't have a rice cooker, the same method can be used on a cooktop or in the oven. If you don't have fresh green beans, frozen green beans work just as well, or even peas. Feel free to grate fresh parmesan cheese if you aren't avoiding dairy.