Pumpkin risotto with Parmigiano and traditional Balsamic vinegar

I am rediscovering Italian cooking and I want to embark upon a journey that begins with taste. I am entering into the entogastronomic spirit of the provinces with the Unesco quadrilateral which means embarking on a tour that revolves around taste, but it is also an occasion to discover a wealth of culture and history, Unesco heritage and unrivalled natural beauty, all with a warm welcome from the local residents who are always ready with a smile.

Ingredients

• 400g Risotto Rice
• 400g Pumpkin
• 1 shallot
• 1.5 L stock
• 60 butter
• 60g Parmesan
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 dl of Traditional Balsamic vinegar

Method

The recipe I followed had no cooking times a little bit frustrating I know when sometimes you just have to go with the flow and uses your senses.

Brown the chopped shallot, then add the rough - chopped pumpkin ( a potato peeler is useful for this I have been told or get your husband to do it ) and salt and pepper and cover with hot water until cooked.

Blend the mixture until creamy, Reduce the Traditional Balsamic Vinegar to the consistancy of syrup.

Toast the rice with a little oil; add a dash of white wine and cook, slowly adding the hot stock and, finally the pumpkin cream.

Once cooked , remove from heat and season with butter and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Dish up the rice and decorate with Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.

The recipe is courtesy of Alessandra Buriani I was provided with the ingredients for this dish )

Just a little ramble

This is what I see everyday I walk to work and I see something new everyday. I think it's beautiful , I think you'd agree.

What's cat all about?

I really don't know what to write.

Awards are abound.

Sometimes its a case of who shout loudest .. sadly.

I would rather awards were decided by panels  of assembled qualified folk.

But alas no.

Back to looking at cats on the internet then ...

I do like Mondays

I don't like rude people for example when opening a door for someone manners cost nothing.

I dislike  getting wrong items over and over again from companies there is only so much you can laugh at. The company rearranges to have said articles taken away ,you pile said items outside your house ready for the council to take away . You blink when your neighbours pull up and they scuttle into their house with their private school child in tow. Your husband calls you ... Head half cocked you swear you can hear "Harold " being called as the front of your house now Steptoes yard.

You go and look at the cat vacuum video doing the rounds on you tube.

You laugh ...

You cry when the cat leaves a friend in the kitchen ..

You wonder if Mrs Vole is waiting the return of Mr Vole.

You sit waiting for Tesco to call ..


Bing Bong.

Hurrah the shopping is here.

Is your substitution ok?

Well I thought its a lot better than when I asked for Coronation Chicken but got egg mayonnaise instead, or when they tried to deliver 42 tubs of ice cream.

You wonder why the shopping doesn't put itself away.

And why do cats like boxes ?

You see blue skies and remind yourself that you like Mondays.

Silent on Sunday