Pumpkin Risotto Soup

I made this for the last time The Lentil Club got together for a craft day (read a good excuse to catch up and drink coffee and chat for many hours). Actually I started it and then delegated to the wonderful Gabby and Robbie who did most of the work so I can't actually say that I made it lol.

It is based on a recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly's "The Essential Soup Cookbook".

To serve 8

2 kg pumpkin, chopped and roasted
1/4 C olive oil
large knob butter
2 onions, finely diced
4 t minced garlic
2 C arborio rice
1 C dry white wine
3 litres vegetable stock
2 litres water
1 C cream
1 C shredded cheese

Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is translucent. Add rice and cook for about 2 minutes, making sure that each grain is shiny and becoming translucent. Add stock and water and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered for about 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

Cool, then stir in pumpkin.

Blend half of the soup until smooth. Combine all of the soup in the saucepan again. Add cream and cheese. Stir until hot.

Serve with crusty bread (we used a garlic sourdough).