Pumpkin risotto and biscuits

After the pumpkin pasta, I was thinking of what else to make with it. So I decided to make a risotto. I roasted the pumpkin whilst I was making the risotto. The pumpkin was then stirred in at the end with the cheese and lemon. I saw a recipe for a risotto served with a pesto, I like the idea so I stole it! The basil plants are doing well enough that I can use them to make pesto. Still not bored of the pumpkin!

Pumpkin risotto

• 1 Small onion, chopped
• 200 g risotto rice
• 1 Wine glass of vermouth
  
• Vegetable stock (approx 500 ml)
• 1 Lemon
• Pecorino Cheese, 2tbsps
  
• Enough pumpkin for 2, chopped

Roast the pumpkin @ 180 degrees C for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, soften the onion in a little olive oil in a saucepan. Add the rice and cook for a couple of mins. Then add the vermouth. Once this has been absorbed add the veg stock one ladle at a time. Once the stock has been absorbed, add another ladle until the rice is cooked. Stir in the lemon juice, cheese and pumpkin. Serve with the pesto.

Basil Pesto

• 1 Large handful of basil
• 1 Large handful of pinenuts
• 2 Cloves of garlic
• Lemon juice
• Olive oil

Blitz in a food processor, using the olive oil and lemon juice to taste.

For a few weeks Andrew has been making gingerbread biscuits. So I decided to give Andrew a break and make some biscuits. I saw this recipe when I was having a read through some of Stonehead's older posts. These biscuits were dead easy to make and were very hard to resist when they came out the oven. This photo doesn't do them justice.

Take one packet of mince . . .

Whilst going through the freezer I noticed that we had a packet of pork mince. So I started to thinking about what I could do with it. I decided to try and make it last two dinners.

The first dish was little pork and apricot patties served with tumeric rice. All I did was fry half an onion and some garlic until soft. I left this cool for a bit and then added it to 250g of pork mince. I then chopped some dried apricots (about 6) added it to the pork. I then stirred and then shaped them into four little patties which were grilled. For the tumeric rice, I just added a small amount of tumeric to the water. This was served with some yoghurt which was flavoured with some lemon juice. Yum yum.


For the second night I decided to make some meatballs. These were flavoured with lemon zest and had some finely diced onion and chopped parsley added. Again I used 250 g of pork mince. These were baked in the oven for 25 mins at gas mark 6. In another roasting tin I added some paris brown and button mushrooms, sliced courgette and thinly sliced garlic. I added some olive oil and roasted them in the oven for 10-15 min. To make a sauce I put the roasting tin with the mushrooms in on the hob and added some marsala (about 3tbsp). I allowed this simmer for a minute before adding a couple of spoonfuls of yoghurt. The meatballs were added to this sauce. This was served with spaghetti which was dressed with some olive oil, lemon juice and parsley.

I am entering the pasta recipe into this weeks Presto Pasta Nights. Which this week is being hosted by Ruth @ Once Upon a Feast. Check out the round up which will be on her website on Friday.