Stewart Morris learned his way around the kitchen while he was a college student.

"I had to learn to fend for myself," Morris said, adding he grew to enjoy coming up with new recipes.

"I'm keen on it," he said.

Morris, one of the Ten Tenors, will perform through Nov. 29 during the group's holiday show at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre. FYI: (800) 775-2000

The Australian native said when he gets the chance he likes to putter around in the kitchen.

Among favorite "simple" dishes are curries, pasta, wraps, stir-fries and vegetarian recipes.

Morris loves to entertain and often makes dishes that can "feed a lot of people."

The singer, who grew up in Southport on the Gold Coast in Queensland, was raised on Australian fare such as traditional hearty meat dishes and seafood.

Since he grew up on the coast, Morris said the area was big on "surfing and seafood."

"I'm pretty much a vegetarian. But I do like salmon," he said, adding he'll eat fish every so often.

The singer said, when it comes to cooking, he's eager to build his skills.

"I've still got so much to learn. When I'm home, I want to learn to make pasta from scratch and I want to test my baking skills and have a bit of a dabble at that," he said.

Morris' idea of the perfect meal revolves around the seasons.

"I definitely go by the climate. In summer or a warmer environment, I'll go for a beautiful salmon dish with fragrant vegetables. For winter, I'll take something hearty, like vegetables with beet stock and mushrooms and ale to go with it," Morris said.

Try the following "Australian Holiday" dish from Morris.

Seared Salmon On Lemon Pumpkin Risotto

For risotto:

1 cup unwashed arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups canned vegetable stock (heated)

1/4 of a butternut pumpkin, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish

For salmon and sauce:

2 fresh 6-ounce salmon fillets

1 cup canned fish stock (heated)

1/2 cup fresh thickened cream

1 minced onion

1 clove minced garlic

1/3 cup white wine

1 teaspoon white sugar

2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill

Sea salt and pepper, a few pinches

DIRECTIONS: For sauce: Place a small saucepan on medium heat and add a teaspoon olive oil and minced garlic and onions being careful not to let them brown. After 2 minutes, add white wine, stirring occasionally until wine evaporates, then add fish stock and again occasionally stir until stock evaporates and contents of pan are half submerged. Next, add cream and dill and reduce to a low heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. While it is simmering, add salt and pepper to taste and a teaspoon of white sugar. Let the sauce reduce as much as possible to create a thicker consistency and more intense flavor. For risotto: Melt the tablespoon of butter and add olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat, then add rice, folding it with a spatula until it is completely coated and transparent. Next. add wine and again, fold rice in the pan. Don't stir it. Do this until wine has almost evaporated, then add pumpkin cubes and most of the lemon zest and juice (save just a pinch to garnish later) folding it together, then add one cup of stock or enough to half submerge the rice and pumpkin. Let the stock boil down and absorb enough for the rice to look sticky but still moist throughout before adding more stock ( never completely cover rice with stock). You'll need to constantly fold the rice carefully. It'll take 30 to 40 minutes until rice is cooked and pumpkin is soft. Season with sea salt and cracked pepper as you cook, if desired. For the salmon: Prepare fillets with coating of olive oil and a dusting (a few pinches) of sea salt and pepper. Cook salmon for 3 to 5 minutes on each side in a pan over medium heat with one teaspoon olive oil. Squeeze a little lemon juice on each fillet while cooking. Serving: Take two bowls and spoon 2 tablespoons risotto into each. Add shaved Parmesan cheese spread over risotto then spoon two more tablespoons risotto on top of that. Garnish with lemon zest and place salmon fillet on top of risotto, spooning 2 to 3 tablespoons sauce on fish. Serve immediately.