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.

Mushroom Pie

This is a very simple mushroom dish which can be served with salad, steamed vegetable or with soup.

A quantity of puff pastry

5oz butter

2 red onions, finely chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1lb mixed fresh mushrooms (I use shitake, portobello, oyster and chestnut) chopped

Melt half the butter in a large saute pan and begin to cook the onions and garlic. Do not allow to brown, just soften.

Add the rest of the butter and the mushrooms. 

Cook over a low to medium heat to allow the mushrooms to cook thoroughly without cooking to quickly. About 25 minutes works for me. Once cooked set side to cool.

Roll out the pastry and use a small dinner plate s a template to make two circles.

Place on circle on a baking tray. Take your mushrooms and using a sieve gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Place mushrooms in the centre of the pastry circle. Brush around the edge with beaten egg and place the second pastry circle on top. Press the edges together and fold the bottom edge around the top one to form a decorating crust.

Pre-heat to 220C.

Using any spare pastry to make leaves and maybe a mushroom to stick on the top using beaten egg as glue. Brush the whole top with beaten egg and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Autumn Pear and Spiced Cranberry Relish

A great Autumn/Winter preserve. Especially good eaten with a cheese platter and oatcakes, maybe with a wee glass of Port ;-) 

Ingredients to make roughly four 250g jars

1 onion, finely chopped

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

6 fl oz raspberry or cider vinegar

5 oz caster sugar

2 garlic cloves, sliced

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground allspice

1 small tsp dried chilli

11 oz dried cranberries

4 pears, cored and cubed, peel left on

Put all the ingredients except the pear in a non-reactive saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring slowly to a simmer, stirring to make sure all the sugar has dissolved. Add the pear and continue cooking until the mixture has the consistency of thick jam.

Sterilize your jars.

Spoon the hot relish into still hot jars and seal. Leave to cool.

They will keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Once opened, relish is best eaten within 2 months.

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