Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
- 1½ cups Arborio rice
- 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 medium sized onion finely diced
- 1½ cups pumpkin – diced in 1cm cubes
- 1 clove garlic – crushed
- 1 rasher of bacon – fat removed and finely diced (leave out if vegetarian preferred)
- ¼ cup diced red capsicum – finely diced
- ½ cup snap peas (can substitute other ‘crunchy’ green vegetable if out of season)
- ½ cup parmesan cheese – grated
- 1 glass white wine to sip while stirring)
- 1 friend/ partner (to talk with and share wine with whilst preparing)
- Pepper to taste
- ½ teaspoon thyme
Method
In a large saucepan on medium heat sauté onion and bacon in olive oil until onions are clear. Add rice and heat through for about 1 minute whilst stirring. Add pumpkin and stir through to coat with oil. Add enough stock to cover rice and gently stir until liquid is almost absorbed into rice. Add further small amounts (approx 100mls of stock and continue to stir until absorbed each time. Keep adding liquid until rice is cooked. It will develop a gelatinous coat and mixture will have a creamy texture. Use water if stock runs out. When rice is cooked add snap peas, capsicum, thyme, parmesan cheese and a generous amount of ground pepper and stir through. Serve in a bowl with a little parmesan and a glass of white wine (if there is any left)
Jeff Alison, Cardiologist