Butternut Squash & Chorizo Risotto

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Put half the butternut squash and the chorizo slices in a roasting tin and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for about 20 minutes. Take care to not let the chorizo burn (they become hard and chewy if this happens – you may need to remove the chorizo after about 15 minutes).

3. Simmer the remaining squash in stock until softened. Tip the squash into a sieve, reserving any stock in a bowl below. Puree the squash (I used my trusty hand blender for this) and keep on the side.

4. Melt the butter in a large pan and sweat the chopped onion for about 5 minutes.

5. Tip in the rice and stir well into the onion. This step creates a “shell” around each grain of rice, allowing it to slowly absorb liquid during the cooking process.

6. Add a ladleful of the hot stock while the pan is still on the heat and stir continuously until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, gently stirring between each addition. This gives the risotto its characteristic creamy consistency. (On Masterchef, John Torode said that risotto must always be stirred in one direction – I can’t remember why though!)

7. The risotto is done when it is cooked through (i.e. soft when you bite into it). To ensure you have the right consistency, spoon some risotto into a plate, and gently tilt the plate from side to side. The risotto should spread out slowly. If it doesn’t do this, it’s too dry and needs more stock. If it’s overly runny, it needs a bit more cooking to allow the extra stock to evaporate.

8. Once all the stock has been absorbed stir in the pureed squash, followed by the cream cheese, parmesan, and the thyme leaves. Warm through.

9. Dish the risotto into a plate, and top with chorizo, roasted squash and a small sprig of thyme. Season with freshly ground black pepper, and enjoy!