Mark McEwan: This rich pumpkin risotto tastes like fall

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This article was published 02/10/2021 (1774 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Every Saturday, Chef Mark McEwan, one of Canada’s most celebrated chefs, serves up everything you need for a special weekend meal, including a recipe and expert at-home cooking tips.

Risotto has a reputation for being difficult to cook, but this recipe is actually easy once you work through it. It does take some time, though! I organize a glass of wine and a good conversation while I do my assembly. The risotto is a meal in itself, the star on the plate, so very little (or no) protein is needed. The brodo is key to making it full-bodied — it always starts with the stock. I’d serve this dish with a light red wine like a pinot noir.

Chef tips:

The first step to making good risotto is to properly sauté your onions and rice. (You also need a good deglaze and reduction on the wine.) Once you start adding the stock, go slow and steady for the next 20 minutes, never adding too much stock at any one time.

You can tell when the rice is cooked when it begins to yield to your pot like pasta does. You want a very small tight centre on the rice kernels. When it feels good to the bite, you have it right!

To dice the sugar pumpkins, you need a stiff knife. For even cooking, make sure that the pumpkin pieces are a consistent size.

Risotto with Sugar Pumpkin and Pancetta

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) sugar pumpkin, large-diced

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) brodo

3 tbsp (50 mL) cold butter

Salt and pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

3 tbsp (50 mL) olive oil

1/4 cup (60 mL) pancetta, diced

1 batch basic risotto (see below)

1/4 cup (60 mL) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

2 tbsp (30 mL) truffle paste (optional)

Ground white pepper

Fine olive oil

Place 1 cup (250 mL) of the diced pumpkin in a small saucepan. Add enough brodo to cover; simmer until mushy, about 30 minutes. Mash pumpkin with a fork, then stir vigorously until it becomes a smooth paste. Incorporate cold butter. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.

In a skillet on medium heat, sauté the pancetta in oil just until it begins to brown and crisp at the edges. Remove it with a slotted spoon to a bed of paper towels to drain. Add remaining squash to the skillet and sauté until bronzed. Season with salt and pepper; remove to a platter.

Begin cooking risotto according to the directions. When rice is very nearly cooked — and the supply of stock virtually exhausted — add pancetta, sautéed pumpkin, and 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the pumpkin purée. Add cheese; stir until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in paste. Taste, and correct seasonings with salt and white pepper. Serve lightly drizzled with fine olive oil. Serves 4.

Basic risotto

3 tbsp (50 mL) olive oil

1 cup (250 mL) onion, minced

Salt

1 tsp (5 mL) garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups (325 mL) Carnaroli rice

1/2 cup (125 mL) white wine

5 cups (1.25 L) brodo, at a simmer

1/4 cup (60 mL) Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

Ground pepper

Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) of oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onions, salt lightly, and sweat, stirring frequently so that the onions do not brown. After 5 or 6 minutes, when the onions begin to wilt, add garlic and cook a minute longer. Add rice and stir well to coat with oil (add more oil if necessary). Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the grains of rice begin to acquire translucence (if uncertain, lift a few grains from the pot and examine them against the dark backdrop of your wooden spoon). When that is achieved, deglaze with wine.

When wine has been reduced to a syrup, add 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the hot brodo. Stir again. When the liquid once again thickens, add another 1/4 cup (60 mL) of brodo; stir again. Season lightly. Stir regularly; build the seasoning gradually as you go. Continue until the rice is nearly cooked and the stock nearly finished. Serves 4.

Brodo

3 lb (1.5 kg) chicken bones, chopped and rinsed

1 chicken (about 3 lb/1.5 kg), cut into 6 to 8 pieces

1 turkey drumstick, rinsed

1/2 lb (250 g) stewing beef, cut into large cubes and rinsed

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) San Marzano tomatoes

1 leek (white part only), split

2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces

1 medium carrot, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces

1/2 bunch parsley

1 tbsp (15 mL) kosher salt

1 tsp (5 mL) black peppercorns

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Pat chicken bones dry with paper towels. Spread evenly in a shallow roasting pan, and roast, turning periodically, until well browned, about 45 minutes. Transfer the browned bones to a stock pot and add the chicken pieces, turkey, beef, and 8 quarts (8 L) cold water. Bring to a boil, skim the surface well; lower heat to a simmer. Continue simmering, without stirring, for 20 minutes, frequently skimming impurities from the surface. Add tomatoes, leek, celery, carrot, parsley, salt and peppercorns; stir. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 2 more hours, skimming frequently and thoroughly to remove floating rendered fats along with the impurities. Strain broth through a large chinois or fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Makes 5 litres.

Chef Mark McEwan is a Toronto-based chef, entrepreneur, mentor and writer of bestselling cookbooks. He is a freelance contributor for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @chef_MarkMcEwan