Mixed vegetable risotto with baked pumpkin and leek

I really do have a thing about risotto, and I *really* do have a thing about leeks.

Once again, this combined my love for both and gives a good meal for watching a movie on Saturday night!!

Mixed Vegetable Risotto with baked Pumpkin and Leek

1.5 cups rice
1lt vegetable stock
1lt water
3 cloves garlic - chopped finely
1 onion - chopped finely
2tbs butter
(peas, corn kernels, chopped carrot, chopped celery, sliced green beans, chopped garlic shoots - as much as you would like. 1/2 cup pureed tomatoes) This was basically what I could fathom the $5 risotto sauce I accidentally bought {thinking it was a risotto} was made from...
juice of 1/2 lemon
about 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
Parsley, salt, pepper.

For the baked Pumpkin and Leek:
1/3 Large Jap Pumpkin, sliced into wedges about 1.5cm thick
1/2 large leek, sliced lengthways, then sliced lengthways again, then into thirds.
extra virgin olive oil
powdered vegetable stock (I use Massell - {Vegeta - the more common one, is 1)imported and 2)contains MSG (621) eeew!})
pepper

Start with the leeks and pumpkins, as the risotto only takes about 15 minutes to cook.



Oil a large pizza pan, arrange the pumpkin around the inside. Drizzle with a good amount of olive oil, then sprinkle with powdered stock and pepper. Put your sliced leek into a foil 'bag' and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the open end of the foil bag with another piece of foil and place onto the pizza pan in the middle of the pumpkin. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 190 degrees.

While they are baking, its risotto time!

Saute garlic and onion in saucepan until clear. Add rice and mix well till all grains are coated. Add your vegetables and tomato puree. Stir in 1/2 litre of stock over a medium-high heat. Allow to boil then turn down heat to medium. Stir until liquid almost dissolved and then add another cup. Continue to add and stir until stock is finished, and then continue with boiling water - adding water a cup at a time until the rice is cooked. Make sure that the risotto is quite saucy and not at all dry - If so, add more boiling water and stir through.
At the end of cooking, stir in the lemon juice.
Add your salt, pepper, parsley and parmesan. Stir through well.

Pumpkin should be well cooked and starting to brown on the edges. Leeks should be soft yet not too mushy.

Serve risotto with pumkin slices and leek. Add cracked pepper and parmesan on top if you like.
Serves 4 (or 3 really hungry people!)