Roasted Pumpkin, Courgette and Pepper Risotto with Tarragon and Lemon

better get started....this is the year of living generously!

I wish you a happy new year, full of things you don't expect, but are happy to go along with...just to see where you end up!

This risotto has been spinning around my mind for a while, and today was the first chance to try. You could use any roasted veg...as has been the theme previously, you may "pimp your risotto". Happy eating.

Roasted Pumpkin, Courgette and Pepper Risotto with Lemon and Tarragon

serves 2

Ingredients:

1 small culinary pumpkin, the flesh cut into chunky strips

1 courgette, cut into chunks

1 yellow pepper, deseeded and cut into quarters

2 small onions, peeled and quartered

3 x 15ml sp (3 Tblsp) cold pressed oil – currently I am trying OLEIFERA-cold pressed rapeseed from the Scottish Borders

175g (6oz) Arborio rice

Half a glass of white wine (optional – but gives an excuse to open a bottle!)

600ml (1pint) warm/hot vegetable stock - currently I am trying Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder

3x15ml sp (3 Tblsp) chopped fresh tarragon, and a few small whole leaves for garnish

The juice and grated rind of 1 lemon, retain a small amount of the rind for garnish

3 x15ml sp (3 Tblsp) grated fresh parmesan, and if desired a few shavings to garnish

In a preheated oven at 200˚C; 400˚F; Gas mark 6 – roast the prepared vegetables tossed with 1 x15 ml sp (1tblsp) of the oil for approx 30-40 minutes, until slightly charred – but not burnt!

When roasting is complete, remove the skin from the pepper and slightly chop the remaining roasted vegetables.

In the meantime, start the risotto – heat the remaining oil in a heavy based saucepan, add the rice and constantly stir to coat all the grains.

Add the wine, if using, and boil rapidly until almost totally evaporated (if not wine, add a few tablespoons of the stock instead)

Gradually add the stock a ladleful at a time, over a medium heat, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next – stirring constantly. This process will take approximately 20 minutes. (Arm ache, but worth it!)

You can add the last ladleful of stock, cover the pan and turn off the heat whilst you de skin the peppers and chop the roasted vegetables.

When the roasted vegetables are prepared, stir them into the risotto pan, with the heat turned up, and continue constantly stirring and cooking until the rice has fully hydrated-has a firm bite, and the mixture is creamy in texture.

Add the lemon juice, the zest, the chopped tarragon and the grated parmesan cheese; continue stirring and combining gently for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.

Spoon the risotto onto 2 warmed plates, decorate with retained tarragon, parmesan and grated lemon rind. Serve immediately.

What I did at Christmas.....the only thing photographed!

Christmas pudding truffles
with total admiration, acknowledgment and thanks to Nigella Lawson, who invented these.
It's a bit late now, but the christmas cake may still have been in the tin for weeks, if I hadn't adapted the goddess's recipe

125g best-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped;
350g leftover christmas cake/any dark fruit cake - Icing/Marzipan removed ( cooks treat to eat OR crumble up and put out for the birds) The cake should be chopped up a bit.
3 Tblsp sherry
2 Tblsp golden syrup
For decoration:
100g white chocolate, finely chopped
6 red glacé cherries
6 short lengths angelica

Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines.
Crumble the chopped cake into a bowl, add the sherry and golden syrup and keep on stiring until combined
Pour in the melted chocolate and keep on stirring, the mixture will go sticky/clumpy - just make sure the chocolate combines well.
Take small lumps of mixture and roll in your hands so that you have little rounds about the size of a chocolate truffle. You should get about 30 out of this mixture. Chill.

To decorate, melt the white chocolate either in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave according to the manufacturer's guidelines, then let it cool for about 5 minute. Chop the red cherries into small pieces, to look like holly berries and snip the angelica into miniature lengths, to represent leaves - very sticky.
Using a teaspoon, drip a little of the melted but slightly cooled white chocolate on each truffle, then arrange the cherry and angelica to decorate.