Pumpkin & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Welcome back, hope you all had a great holiday weekend!  Always tough to come back to the real world, but we're all in this together right?! 

Within a couple days I had gotten a recipe recommendation from a friend, and found pretty much the same idea for a meal in Women's Health magazine.  I knew I had to try it!  Remember how I said I've been cooking with a lot of pumpkin?  I warned you :)

Begin by heating broth in saucepan until it begins to boil.  Then keep it simmering on the stove

Heat olive oil in a pan until hot but not smoking.  Add sage leaves and fry until crispy, around 10-15 seconds. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Keep around a tablespoon of the sage oil in the pan and discard the rest.  Heat oil over medium high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent but not browned. 

Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is glistening and coated with oil.

Add mushrooms and wine, cook, stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated. 

Add one cup of broth and cook, stirring until it's evaporated, around 2-3 minutes. Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting the broth absorb into the rice. The rice will begin to swell, and it should take around 18 minutes.

Add pumpkin puree into the pan.

Then add the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Stirring until incorporated, 1-2 minutes. 

Divide risotto into bowls and garnish with sage leaves and additional Parmesan cheese.  This was creamy and delicious.  The pumpkin flavor mixed with the mushrooms was better than expected.  It's very filling, yet very good for you; per serving only 240 calories!  I made the whole serving size for C and I and had leftovers for another meal for both of us.  Yum!  

Pumpkin & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

5 cups low-sodium chick broth

1/4 cup olive oil

8 sage leaves, plus 2 teaspoons minced sage

1/2 cup finely chopped shallots

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree

3/4 cup plus 4 teaspoons shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat broth in a saucepan until boiling, then keep it at a simmer on the stove.

Heat olive oil in a saute pan until hot, but not smoking

Add sage leaves and fry until crispy.

Transfer to  paper towel-lined plate.

Keep 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan and discard the rest.  

Heat oil over medium high heat, add shallots, and cook until translucent.

Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice has been coated with the oil.

Add mushrooms and wine, cook stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add 1 cup of broth, and stir until it's been absorbed by the rice.  

Continue to add broth 1/2 cup at a time, constantly stirring.

Cook for around 18 minutes, the rice will swell, until you've used all the broth.

Add pumpkin puree, 3/4 cup of cheese, salt and pepper and stir until incorporated.

Divide risotto among bowls and garnish with the fried sage leaves and Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!