Hi there! This is my first entry to a joust...
Wheat beer and butternut pumpkin risotto with garlic-fried shiitake mushrooms, holy basil and caramelized balsamic vinegar
Serves 2For the caramelized balsamic vinegar:0.25cup balsamic vinegar
1tsp sugar
For the risotto:400g butternut pumpkin, cubed
1Tbsp butter
150g fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 leek, sliced thinly
1.5cups Arborio risotto rice
1.75cups hot vegetable stock
0.5cup dark wheat beer (dunkel weissbier)
olive oil
chunk of parmesan, grated
handful holy basil leaves (or any baby-sized basil leaves)
black pepper
Method:For the caramelized balsamic vinegar, add the vinegar and sugar to a small saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Put aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 180C, coat butternut pumpkin cubes in olive oil and bake for 20mins.
Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan and add sliced leek. Sautee for 5mins or so until softened. Add the rice and stir for 30 seconds or so. This is where I cheat and add the stock and beer in one go and leave to simmer until liquid is fully absorbed... but if you have the time, do it properly - add the stock one ladleful at a time, waiting until the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next ladleful, until all the stock and beer have been used up. Add more stock if necessary. When finished stir through lots of freshly cracked black pepper and grated parmesan.
While the risotto is cooking, heat the butter in a frying pan at high heat and add the sliced shiitake. Fry until starting to brown and then add the crushed garlic.
To serve, place risotto on plate, top with baked pumpkin cubes, garlic fried shiitake mushrooms and holy basil leaves. Then drizzle over some olive oil and caramelized balsamic vinegar. Enjoy!

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