Pumpkin and Red Leicester Risotto

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 garlic gloves, finely chopped

10 oz fresh pumpkin flesh, chopped or shredded

12oz arborio rice

4 fl oz white wine

2 pints vegetable stock (two stock cubes in boiling water is fine)

8 oz Red Leicester cheese, grated

Heat the oil and half the butter in a large saute pan. Add the onion and cook until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and pumpkin and cook to soften them too.

Add the rice and stir well to coat the rice in the oil. Pour in the white wine and allow to reduce before starting to add the stock. It is best added half a pint at a time and allow the liquid to reduce before adding another. It takes about 40 minutes before the rice will turn translucent and all the stock will be used up. Keep stirring regularly as you do not want it to stick to the pan.

When the risotto is creamy (not too liquid, but not a stodgy lump!) take it off the heat. If it is too dry add some boiling water and stir until it has started to be absorbed, taking it off the heat before it dries out again)

Add 2/3 of the grated cheese to the risotto and stir in so it just begins to melt and stir in remaining butter.

Add a little of the remaining cheese to the bottom of each serving dish. Spoon the risotto into each and use the remaining cheese on top just before serving. 

Serve as soon as possible so that the cheese is still melting when it is brought to table.

Spiced Pecan Cake

I thought as the nights draw in and the temperatures drop I would share a bit of a treat - best served slightly warm with custard! It can be made in a traditional cake tin or loaf tin.

14 fl oz water

3 fl oz orange juice (fresh squeezed if poss)

7 oz sultanas

4 oz butter

14 oz plain flour

1/2 tsp fine ground rock salt

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

3/4 tsp baking powder

10 oz golden caster sugar

1/2 tsp nutmug

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 eggs, beaten

4 oz chopped pecans

Butter and line your cake/loaf tin with baking parchment.

Pre-heat oven to 190C

Put the water, orange juice, butter and sultanas into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Keep on a slow boil for bout 25 minutes to allow the sultanas to swell and the liquid to slightly reduce. When its ready take off the heat and allow to cool for ten minutes before using.

While the sultanas are bubbling away get a large mixing bowl for the dry ingredients. Sift the flour into the bowl, along with the bicarb, baking powder, sugar, salt and spices. Make sure everything is well mixed.

Once the sultana mix is cooled a little pour into the dry mix and mix well. Then add the eggs and pecans. Mix thoroughly before pouring into the cake tins.

Place in the pre-heated oven and cook for up to 55 minutes. Times will vary according to the efficiency of your oven, so check regularly and move around the oven if necessary to cook evenly.

Best served while still a little warm and with custard or double cream :-)