PUMPKIN, LEMON AND BASIL RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the oven until it has reached 200 degrees (Celsius).
• Dice the pumpkin and place in the oven in a roasting dish. Roast until soft (but still holding its shape - it will need to be stirred into the risotto so you don't want it to turn to mush). This should take around 25-30 minutes.
• Gently heat the chicken stock, wine, saffron strands and bay leaf in a saucepan until simmering.
• In a large frypan heat the butter until melted and slightly bubbling. Add the garlic, onion and lemon zest and cook over a medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent. Don't allow it to burn.
• Add the rice and stir to coat it in the mixture already in the pan for about 2 minutes.
• Add the stock/wine mixture one ladleful at a time. Stir constantly and add more of the stock as the rice soaks it up. Keep doing this until the rice is cooked and the stock has been used.
• Add the roast pumpkin and lemon juice, and stir until combined.
• Then, add the chopped basil and stir through until just wilted.
• Finally, top with ground black pepper and the grated parmesan and serve with crusty french bread (and maybe a salad).