I love pumpkins and butternut squash and how they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes – versatile indeed. At this time of year pumpkins are beginning to be plentiful and cheap so no excuse not to buy one, cut it in half and slow roast it before deciding what to do with the flesh. My default recipe for pumpkin is an orange and pumpkin soup, I also love pumpkin pie flavored with coriander seeds and lemon but this week I was in a risotto mood so risotto it was.

I also make this with chanterelles and use their cooking/soaking juice as a stock for really sensationally vegan dish.

Ingredients for four

1 large butternut squash

3 garlic cloves peeled

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

About 15 sage leaves, chopped

flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large knobs of butter

1 large onion, chopped

400g/14oz arborio or other Italian risotto rice

2 glasses white wine

1 liter/1¾ pints hot chicken or vegetable stock

good handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

75g/3oz pine nuts, to serve

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Cut the butternut squash into 6-8 wedges, remove the seeds and place in a roasting tray. Pound or chop the garlic and add a generous glug of olive oil, half the sage leaves, sea salt and pepper. Tip into the tray and rub over the butternut squash with your hands. Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes until softened and becoming golden in color.

Once the squash has cooked, cool slightly, then scrape the soft flesh away from the skin into a bowl. Lightly mash with a fork or potato masher until it is fairly chunky in texture. Scrape any sticky juices left in the roasting tray into the bowl and keep warm while making the risotto.

Heat the olive oil and a good knob of butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan or saute pan. Gently fry the onion until softened. Add the rice and stir for about a minute until the grains are coated with the oil and butter. Pour in the wine and stir continuously until it has cooked into the rice. Add a good ladle of hot stock and the remaining sage and season well with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down so the stock simmers gently. Keep adding ladles of stock as it cooks into the rice, stirring and moving the rice around in the pan. After about 15-20 minutes the rice should be soft but still have a bit of bite left in it. The texture of the risotto should be thick and creamy, but not too loose. Add extra stock if necessary. It may seem tedious standing and stirring but the end result will be worth it.

Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir the roasted butternut squash into the risotto with the parmesan, the remaining butter and seasoning to taste. Add any extra stock if the risotto seems particularly thick. Cover with a lid for a couple of minutes as this will give the risotto an even creamier texture.

During this time, place the pinenuts in a fairly hot frying pan and toss around until golden. Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls and scatter with the pinenuts and extra parmesan.

By Rachel Sargent, Guest Writer

Rachel Sargent is the chef and owner of the London Street Bakery, which offers healthy seasonal food. More about it here.

(photo credits: Rachel Sargent)