Buttersquash Risotto

Did you know that M&S cheeses have a little flap that folds over and sticks down to keep the cheese fresh? Saves me having to re-wrap the stuff in clingfilm! Brilliant idea!

Anyway, onto more important things...as you may have read, I spend a good portion of yesterday wandering around 'finding' recipe cards, one of which inspired last night's tea. I used a combination of my own and the recipe card's recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto - I've decided to call it Buttersquash Risotto - I like that!

Having never really used or cooked with BS (can't be bothered typing Butternut Squash every time) i wasn't sure what to expect. I asked someone if they would peel it before roasting and they suggested the skin can be tough, so I took that advice, and good it was! Here's my version...

BS

onion - chopped finely

risotto rice

small glass white wine

chicken stock

sage

parsley

chilli flakes - you could use fresh red chilli finely chopped without seeds

butter

cheese - grated. I used strong cheddar but you could use any you liked. A spiced or chilli cheese would be delicious.

First, cube the BS and roast until soft and just turning brown. Oven 180 ish as usual.

Next, add the onion to a hot pan - I used a wok - and fry til soft.

Tip in the rice and wait as long as you can bear before tipping in the white wine! It should sizzle nicely in relief!

When the wine is absorbed, add a ladle of stock and stir. Stir til absorbed.

Continue this process until the rice is cooked to biting point or as desired.

Mash half of the BS cubes and leave half to garnish at the end.

Turn off the heat under the risotto.

Add most of the cheese, (retaining some for on top,) chilli flakes, herbs, mashed BS and a dollop of butter. Stir in. It should become rich and creamy immediately.

Serve with a little of the grated cheese, chopped parsley and BS cubes on top - delicious.

It really was tasty - much more so than I expected and a completely different dish from, say, mushroom risotto, which I usually do.