Pumpkin Risotto with Chorizo & Wilted Spinach

Serves 4

Ingredients

250g Crown Prince pumpkin cubed into bite-size pieces Olive oil

Mixed herbs

Salt & pepper

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

200g of good chorizo sliced

300g risotto rice

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1 glass of white wine (optional)

2 pints hot water with 3 tsp bouillon

150g of Tractor pumpkin grated or grated carrot 150g of Crown Prince pumpkin, grated

50g of grated parmesan (30g for recipe, 20g for serving) Himalayan Salt and Black Pepper Chopped fresh parsley

400g baby spinach wilted with some ground nutmeg to serve

Method

Toss the chopped pumpkin in olive oil, sprinkle with some mixed herbs, salt and pepper and spread on a baking tray. Place the pumpkin cubes into the oven at 180°C and roast for about 25 minutes, while you are making the risotto. Give them a toss every 10 minutes until they are soft in the middle and crisp at the edges.

Take a deep pan, ideally with a base not bigger than the heat source for even cooking, add some olive oil, the garlic and onion and cook on a medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add in the chorizo and let it warm through to allow all the flavours into the pan. Add the risotto rice, followed by the spices and coat the rice fully.

Stir the ingredients and let them sweat together for a minute or two before adding in the glass of wine; the wine is optional but adds to the flavour. Stir the risotto until the liquid is absorbed. Slowly start to add the hot stock (hot water and bouillon), a ladle at a time and stir until each ladle is absorbed. Keep going until you’re about halfway through your stock supply.

Add the grated pumpkin/carrot and stir and then continue to slowly add the remaining stock, always stirring until you get the preferred risotto consistency. Note: you might not need all the hot liquid but you might need a little extra. (See Top Tip). Test and taste the rice and increase the seasoning if required. Turn the heat source off and pop a lid on your risotto. Check the pumpkin cubes and if ready remove from the oven and keep warm.

Wilt spinach in a pan with a knob of butter and some ground nutmeg.

Stir through 30g of parmesan into your risotto. It’s important to add the parmesan at the very end of of cooking.

To serve, add a spoonful of spinach to the base of each plate or bowl, and a spoonful or two of the creamy risotto. Pop a pile of crispy pumpkin on the top of the risotto and scatter some chopped parsley and the remaining parmesan on the top of each plate. If you have it, drizzle a little balsamic syrup over the top.

Top Tip

Use warm or hot stock when you make risotto and add it slowly, only a ladle at time until completely absorbed, before adding another. You can’t rush a risotto. You need patience and strong arms. Risotto needs to be continuously stirred to help release the starches that make it famously creamy. The end result wants to be whole rice that’s al dente. Avoid a rice pudding consistency.

Kilduff Farm Pumpkin Festival will take place between 16-31 October and tickets can be booked online. To find out more or to see more recipes, visit: www.kilduff.co.uk