Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel Chicago Executive Chef Kerry Heiber is spicing up her kitchen this fall and winter with seasonal flavors, and is offering up one of her most coveted recipes – Pumpkin and Goat Cheese Risotto.

Ingredients:

½ onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, fine chopped

1 small pumpkin, peeled, seeded and medium diced (can substitute with butternut squash or acorn squash)

½ can pumpkin puree

4oz, goat cheese

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

5 cup hot chicken stock

½ cup white wine

1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp whole butter, unsalted

1-2 tbsp kosher or sea salt

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

2 tbsp olive oil

1 Bay Leaf, dried

chives, thyme or parsley, chopped

Preparation:

1. Steep the bay leaf in the chicken stock.

2. In a heavy bottom stock pot, sauté rice with pumpkin and onions over medium heat til onions are translucent and rice has a toasty aroma with a golden color. Add garlic and sauté briefly.

3. Deglaze with white wine, add bay leaf. While stirring vigorously add stock one cup at a time. It will take a few minutes to absorb the stock, so this is a labor-heavy task

4. Continue adding the stock 1 cup at a time until it is absorbed. You will use almost, if not all of the stock depending on how you like it, al-dente or fully cooked. Before adding the last cup of stock stir in your pumpkin puree.

5. Once your rice is cooked to your liking you should season it with salt and pepper and add your cheeses while stirring.

6. Finish by adding in your butter, stirring until it is completely melted. Stir in your chopped herbs and allow to site for a minute before serving so it can allow all of the flavors to marry.

Tired of a messy kitchen? Try the Chop Keeper Cutting Tray to keep messes to a minimum.

Find more recipes to try out in BettyConfidential's Recipe File.

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