Butternut risotto with crispy sage & goat’s cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C, gas mark 7. Bake the squash in a roasting tin for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pan. When hot, fry the sage leaves for 20 seconds, until they sizzle and start to crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a plate.

2. Add the salad onions to the pan and fry gently for 2 minutes to soften. Add the garlic, rice and half the sage leaves and fry for 1 minute, stirring. Pour in a ladleful of the stock and cook, stirring until the stock is absorbed, repeat until all the stock is used. After 15-20 minutes the risotto should be thick and creamy and the rice tender but retaining a little bite.

3. Cut the squash into smaller pieces and stir into the risotto. Cook for a further 1 minute. Serve topped with a slice of cheese and scattered with the remaining sage leaves and some black pepper.

Cook’s tip Use the flesh from a Halloween pumpkin after carving in place of the frozen butternut squash. You can make this recipe vegan by omitting the goat’s cheese.