Fall Foods: Cider Caramels and Pumpkin Risotto

Pumpkin Risotto Cakes

When I think of Fall, the first two things that come to mind are apples and pumpkins. So when the fine folks at the Pushin Gallery asked me to do a little food for the latest gallery hop, with the additional request that I work in some seasonal flavors, it was only natural to include them both in my planning.



For the former, I borrowed a recipe from Handle the Heat and made Apple Cider Caramels. The results were pretty tasty, reminiscent of the old store-bought caramels, but with a nice, aggressive apple flavor. I'm not sure if it was just the heat in the gallery or what, but the texture was a little softer than I'd have liked. But the flavor made up for it, and the softness didn't seem to keep everyone from gobbling them up as fast as I could put them out. I'd like to try this recipe again using some other juices. I've been on a little pomegranate kick lately, so I may try that next.

I didn't want another sweet, so I started trying to think about ways to use pumpkin in a savory dish. Most people have only had pumpkin in pie or a pumpkin roll, or maybe the odd seasonal muffin, and I wanted to get away from the standards. One of the few non-dessert preparations of pumpkin that I can remember eating was a pumpkin ravioli from my days in Chicago. How I got from that memory to the idea of mixing it with risotto is a mystery, but I know now that it isn't a new concept. It was new to me, though, so I decided to roll with it and see what I could come up with.

I've had some success making risotto cakes in the past (something I later learned is known as al Salto in Italy), and I knew I could do those on site with an electric griddle, so that part was settled. I wanted something to cut through the heaviness and brighten up the flavors, so I made a knock-off aioli and flavored it with sage, which pairs very well with pumpkin and seems to be similarly associated with Fall.

My biggest concern with making bite-sized risotto cakes was making them durable enough to hold up as a finger food. I cooked them for about 5 minutes per side on a 375 degree griddle and found that the crust was enough to hold them together. I've done these again since then, and found that you can leave them on the griddle twice that long and they stay creamy and moist inside. Like the caramels above, there are some other flavors I'd like to try to incorporate into this recipe. But those will have to wait

Pumpkin Risotto Cakes

2 Cups Risotto
6 Cups Stock (I used duck, but chicken works as well)
8 oz mushrooms, the wilder the better
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Olive Oil
1 Cup Pumpkin Puree
2 oz finely shredded parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

For some reason, risotto intimidates some people, but it is really just a matter of patience. Finely dice the mushrooms then saute in butter and olive oil until they start to shrink down. Add garlic and rice and saute for a couple of minutes, then add 2 cups of the stock. Continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add the remaining stock a cup at a time, waiting for it to be mostly absorbed before adding more. Once all the stock as been absorbed, the rice should be firm but not have any crunch. At this point, mix in the pumpkin and cheese and add salt and pepper as needed. The texture should be loose and creamy, but not watery. Remove from heat to cool, or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.

Preheat griddle to 375. Using a small cookie scoop (or a large table spoon), drop risotto onto griddle at 3 inch intervals. Flatten with a spatula and cook until a nice crust forms and the cakes hold together, about 5 minutes. Flip cakes and cook until hot throughout, about 5 minutes more. Serve drizzled with sage aioli.

Sage Aioli

3 TBSP Dried Sage
2 Cups Mayonnaise
1/4 Cup cider vinegar
2 TBSP Lemon Juice
2 TBSP minced garlic

This recipe will make twice as much sauce as you'll need for the risotto above, but it keeps pretty well.

I probably shouldn't call this aioli, though it is a pretty close cheat. Soak sage in vinegar for about thirty minutes, then blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to get out any big pieces of sage. Refrigerate until needed.