Risotto with pumpkin and broccoli covered in goat milk and rosemary béchamel
Risotto is one of my passions, first of all because it's very tasty and second because it's highly customizable. Today I decided to use the pumpkin purée left from yesterday to prepare another yummy first course. When I woke up I had the ingredients floating in my mind and while I was shopping the final recipe took shape.
Here's what came out!
Ingredients for one (risotto):
- 1/4 of a shallot
- 3 or 4 tiny broccoli tops
- 1/3 cup of pumpkin purée
- 3 fistfuls of Carnaroli rice (1 fistful of rice is more or less 30g)
- butter to butter the risotto (he he)
- vegetable broth
- olive oil
Ingredients for béchamel (preparing béchamel for just one person is very hard so I made enough for two people):
- 120ml of goat milk
- 10gr of butter
- 10gr of "00" flour
- 2 tbsp of grated Parmigiano
- a pinch of rosemary leaves
First of all prepare the broth with fresh mineral water, carrots, celery and onion. Chop finely the shallot and clean the broccoli. In a little casserole let water and a pinch of salt and sodium bicarbonate boil. When it does quickly dip (10 seconds should be enough) the broccoli tops in and put them aside. The sodium bicarbonate will keep the color of the boiled vegetables more bright.
In another casserole (better if with panhandle) pour a breath of olive oil and put it on low fire. When it's warm enough add the shallot and stir until golden. Add the pumpkin purée and if needed a dram of hot broth. When it's thick enough add rice and keep on stirring (risotto is touchy: if you leave it alone it will get its revenge by burning and consequently tasting awful). This first stirring is essential because it toasts the rice and gives it the right texture.
When you feel it's becoming harder to stir add some broth, keep on stirring and let it be absorbed by the rice. Repeat until it's properly cooked. When you feel that the rice is almost ready take the casserole off the fire and add a good nut of butter and the broccoli tops. Stir very well until the butter melts and the rice becomes creamy.
In yet another casserole prepare the béchamel just like in the Classic Béchamel Recipe with the only difference that when you'll be adding in the goat milk you'll also add rosemary and when it's ready you'll pour in the Parmigiano. Pour the béchamel on the risotto through a sieve.
The only thing left is dishing it up. As you know I'm not very good at this so the arrangement you see in the pictures is just an idea. Feel free to follow your esthetic taste.
Buon appetito!