This is one of the wonderful natural combinations which makes you hungry on just reading. The natural sweetness and silky texture of the pumpkin mingling with the creamy rice and texture of the greens and nuts just works!

Serves 4

Ingredients

600g pumpkin or butternut flesh, chopped into very small chunks

250g kale leaves, finely shredded

2 Tbsp olive oil

80g butter

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped, 1 whole sprig

1 garlic clove

1 small onion, finely diced

1 stick of celery, finely diced

300g Arborio or carnaroli rice

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock, hot

50g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

70g hazelnuts, lightly crushed

50g butter

Freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Begin by cooking the pumpkin in a pan, heat the oil and a third of the butter.

Add the garlic clove and rosemary sprig, this will enhance the pumpkin whilst cooking. Add the pumpkin and cook for 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is very soft.

Remove the garlic clove and rosemary sprig.

Now onto the risotto. In a wide base large pan add the remaining butter. Add the diced onions and celery and cook over a moderate heat until soft and translucent.

Add the rice and coat well in the onion mixture, cook for a couple of minutes stirring continuously.

Add a little a ladle of hot stock and stir to combine.

Add the pumpkin mixture and another ladle of stock gradually until it’s been absorbed.

Now add the kale and more stock and continue until all the stock has been used up and been absorbed by the rice, stirring frequently to get the rice to absorb and soften as it cooks.

In a small pan add the 50g butter, hazelnuts and rosemary. Fry gently until the butter goes a light brown and gives off a wonderfully nutty fragrance. Take off the heat immediately!

Remove the risotto from the heat, season with a little salt and pepper, grate over a little nutmeg and beat in the Parmesan. Finish with a little drizzle of the brown butter and rosemary infused hazelnuts.

Serve immediately with more parmesan.