Locro Rissotto – A Seasonal Pumpkin Stew

In Peru we eat all kinds of hot stews, both in the summer and winter. Perhaps because the temperature is so mild throughout the year in many parts of the country, we don’t seem to be guided by the seasons (at least not too much) when it comes to making food choices. For example, we have adopted the Northern tradition of drinking hot chocolate during the Christmas holidays, even though they take place in the summer for us.

If you, however, are looking for seasonal alternatives, here is a great one for the fall and winter, making use of the veggie of the moment in the Northern hemisphere: pumpkin. This seasonal pumpkin stew-turned-rissotto is a warm and comforting option to keep you cozy throughout the next few months.

Locro is traditionally prepared with a giant kind of pumpkin called macre or loche, native to Lambayeque, in the north of Peru. You can use any pumpkin available, however, as long as it has an intense golden color and is semi-sweet. Like most Peruvian stews, locro is served with rice on the side. Combining both in one tasty rissotto is a natural fusion that can’t go wrong.

Click here for the recipe.