AUTUMNAL RISOTTO

The other day I wanted to make an autumnal  risotto with particularly Sicilian ingredients and risotto purists had better look away now!

I decided that kaki [Sharon fruit or persimmons] which are so plentiful here in this season, should be the main ingredients. If you are going to use these, you must make sure you have the sweet kind or that they are ripe because otherwise they will leave a horrible, dry taste in your mouth. The ones we get here are truly sublime.   I also used pistacchi, ground so finely that in Italy the result is called farina [flour] di pistacchi and a few twists of canella from my trusty cinnamon mill.

Here we go, then:  Heat 3 tablsp olive oil in a wide pan and soften a finely chopped onion in this.  Then add 400 gr Arborio rice and stir it around for a couple of minutes. Add seasalt to taste.  Have ready a jug of 300 ml white wine and 300 ml water, turn the heat down and add a little of the liquid. As soon as it is absorbed, add a little more and repeat the process, stirring, for about 15 mins or until nearly all the liquid is absorbed.  Now add 2 peeled and chopped kaki, a sprinkling of farina di pistacchi and some ground cinnamon, stir everything again and cook for about 2 minutes more.  Add some chopped parsley and serve.

Notes:  

Risotto is usually served a little "wetter" in Italy than it would be in the UK.  

Be careful with your clothes when handling kaki fruit - if the juice stains your clothes, you will never get the stain out!