Wednesday, October 28, 2009

"The Pumpkin Risotto of Mme. Farigoule"


"The secret is in the preparation of the pumpkin. After removing seeds and fiber, cut the flesh into chunks, leaving the skin still attached. With your hands, mix the chunks in a bowl with 2 or 3 tablespoons of the best olive oil, salt and pepper, a tablespoon of fresh marjoram and a teaspoon of dried oregano. Lay the chunks on a baking tray, skin side down, and put them in the oven, which you have preheated to 425°F. When the chunks of pumpkin are soft and the edges are tinged with brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool, scrape the flesh from the skin and shred with a fork. Prepare your risotto in the usual way and once the rice is ready, stir in the pumpkin, along with freshly grated Parmesan and butter. (Mme. Farigoule’s tip is to be extra-generous with both cheese and butter.) Add a sage leaf for decoration, and a sprinkling of Parmesan, et voilà."   -Peter Mayle.

Click here to read Mayle's full article, "Pumpkin Eaters," in the New York Times, on the celebration of Halloween - or "alowine" - in France.

Photo source here.

1 comment:

  1. What a lovely pumpkin pic. I have some roasted butternut squash, I'm going to try this recipe with the squash. Thanks.

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