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1
Preheat oven to 350 F.
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2
Cut your choice of winter squash in half, remove seeds and membranes, brush the cut side with oil and salt, put it into a baking dish cut side down and roast at 350 F for 45 minutes, or until soft.
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3
Once cooked, remove it from the oven and remove the skin.
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4
Puree half of the squash flesh and leave the other half chopped.
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5
Set both aside.
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6
Next youll prepare your risotto.
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7
In a small pan, heat chicken stock over low heat.
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8
In a thick bottomed pan, saute diced onion and garlic over medium heat with the oil.
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9
When onions are beginning to become opaque, add the short grain rice.
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10
Stir and cook for a few minutes until the rice starts to become see-through.
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11
Be sure to season with salt and pepper throughout the cooking (always check for seasoning at the end).
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12
De-glaze pan by stirring in the white wine.
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13
Continue to stir and cook down the wine for five more minutes to make sure alcohol has burned off.
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14
Now add the pureed pumpkin (about 1 cup; use the rest for another purpose).
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15
Stir in pumpkin to mix with the rice and wine.
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16
Begin to add the chicken stock 1/2 a cup at a time, stirring and allowing each portion of stock to absorb into the rice before adding the next scoop.
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17
Continue to cook the risotto like this until youve used all the stock.
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18
Towards the end, as the rice begins to expand and become creamy and soft, add the diced pumpkin.
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19
Finish by stirring in the grated Parmesan.
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20
Keep warm while you make the shrimp.
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21
In a shallow bowl, mix together the Cajun and cayenne seasonings then coat shrimp in the spices.
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22
In a non-stick pan cook the shrimp over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes per side or until nice and pink.
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23
Halfway through, add a little bit of water to create some steam and allow a spicy sauce to form with the seasonings.
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24
Plate your risotto.
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25
Top risotto with shrimp and garnish with cilantro.
