Sluttishly Savoury: Pumpkin Risotto

Have you seen all those cute little munchkin pumpkins that have hit the shops recently? I couldn't resist buying a few and then got home and thought: now what, they're TINY!

Well they make excellent edible serving bowls for this risotto and look absolutely brilliant. Try and avoid those giant carving pumpkins for eating as they have lost most of their flavour, go for a medium sized one or use a butternut squash and save your giant one for making amazingly cool carvings (I'm definitely giving the Space Invaders one a go).

You'll need: (serves 4)

• 1 medium sized pumpkin, peeled and diced into small pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• big knob of butter
• pinch thyme
• 125ml sweet sherry
• risotto rice (about 250g)
• chicken stock (or veg if you prefer)
• salt and pepper
• handful of grated grana padano cheese
• small munchkin pumpkins to serve (optional)

Make it!

1. If you are serving your risotto in the munchkins then slice the tops off and scoop out the seeds to create a bowl (you can cover the seeds in cumin and roast them if you like for a super excellent snack). Pop the tops back on and roast in the oven at 180C for 25 mins or until cooked through.
2. Put your diced pumpkin, onion and garlic in a large pan with a big knob of butter and cook really gently until the pumpkin is soft, this takes about 20 minutes. Remove 2/3 of the mixture and place in a bowl for later.
3. Heat up a saucepan of chicken stock and keep on a simmer.
4. Add your rice to the pumpkin and stir, let it cook for about 2 minutes then add your sherry.
5. Start to gradually add your stock one ladle at a time making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding the next one. 
6. Use a potato masher to squash your reserved pumpkin and onion mixture then once the rice is almost all the way cooked stir it into the risotto and continue to cook and add stock until the rice is done. Once the rice is cooked then remove from the heat add another big knob of butter and the grana padano, stir and cover, let sit for 5 minutes.
7. Serve in the muchkins with more grated cheese.