Top Chef! Pumpkin Risotto

One of our favorite TV shows is Top Chef.  We love watching this cooking show competition that features up and coming restaurant chefs who are judged by amazing, well known chefs and foodies.

We were delighted when Chicago's own Rick Bayless won the Top Chef Masters season!  We have eaten at several of his restaurants, Frontera Grill and Frontera Fresco.  His Topolobampo and XOCO are on my list of places where I'd love to dine.  And I just discovered he has added locations at O'Hare called Tortas Frontera, finally a good reason to get stuck at the airport!  I also enjoy cooking with his Frontera and Salpica lines of food products. 

Another Top Chef winner has a restaurant in Chicago.  Stephanie Izard, winner of season 4, owns Girl and the Goat.  Emily has reservations there in April!  The menu looks great and I'm looking forward to hearing all about it! 

I was reminded of all of this as Ty and I watched the finale of Top Chef Texas this past week.  Spoiler Alert!  Scroll past the photo if you haven't finished watching this season!  We were so happy that Paul earned the title of Top Chef and Sarah was sent to pack her knives!  This show seems to be a great launching pad for good chefs whether they win or lose, so I'm guessing we may hear more about many of this seasons contestants, several of whom are currently working in Chicago.  For example, yesterday we saw cheftestant Chuy Valencia on Diners, DriveIns and Dives.

While Dad and I were in DC we stumbled upon the restaurant of another former contestant of TC, Mike Isabella.  Mike has been on several seasons and has yet to win, but I talked Dad into giving his restaurant, Graffiato, a try.  It was easily the best food we ate in our nation's capitol!

Among the things on the menu that we sampled the White House flatbread pizza was smothered with mozzarella, taleggio & ricotta cheeses and topped with prosciutto and black pepper honey!  I really need to try recreating it at home.  We also enjoyed the pumpkin risotto with smoked provolone and pepitas. When we got home I made my own version several times and learned that risotto isn't as hard as I had thought, it just takes time and attention to do it right. 

Here is my version, with help from Wolfgang Puck.   I substitute 1 cup canned pumpkin for the squash.  The parmesan cheese tastes great but smoked provolone would be delicious as well.
Pumpkin Risotto

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• About 6 cups of hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
• 1 butternut squash, one half baked in the oven and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and Sauteed in a little oil and butter until tender
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil.

Add the white wine and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. Pour in enough chicken stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated shallow serving bowls.

Start saving your pennies, Sarah, Beverly, Chris and Ritchie are all chefs here in Chicago!  Looks like we could sample some Top Chef fare without having to travel very far.  Cheers!