Pumpkin risotto with Gorgonzola

Tonight I made risotto for the first time in many months. I couldn't make it for the past two months 'cause I haven't been able to find arborio or any other kind of risotto rice here in Osaka.

Last month when my mother came to visit, she brought me a pack of Sainsbury's arborio risotto rice from home. A couple of weeks ago I found a recipe on Times Online - pumpkin risotto with Gorgonzola.

Pumpkins are sometimes used in Japanese cuisine as well so I had no problem finding it. The Gorgonzola (and parmesan) however, required special grocery shopping. The average neighbourhood supermarket here doesn't offer any proper cheese. All the "cheese" there is in the dairy aisle is processed cheese slices. The cheese I bought from Carrefour (in Minoh) was not cheap either. Considering Gorgonzola plays a pretty major role in this dish I didn't hesitate in buying it; the parmesan, however, cost 400yen for about 60g. So I decided to use only 30g of the piece and replaced the other half with Kraft grated parmesan.

Photos (top to bottom): risotto in the making; heat turned off, cheese and butter stirred in; garnished with parsley.


I don't really know how good or bad my cooking skills actually are, but I swear I had died and gone to heaven when I took my first spoonful of this pumpkin risotto. The sweetness of the pumpkin and the distinct flavour of the blue cheese combined together was utter bliss :)

Now that I've been fed amidst this foodie euphoria, all that I can think of is a nice, long hot shower, and my bed. (I slept at 0500 this morning after a Christmas party and 6 hours of karaoke, then woke up at 1000 to play prank on Daan's door, followed by a grammar class, some last-minute essay writing and a meeting with my advisor.)