500gpumpkin or butternut squashpeeled and cut into roughly 2cm chunks
2.5lchicken stockalternatively use vegetable or fish stock to make the dish pescatarian
2shallotsfinely chopped
400gArborio or Carnaroli rice
250mldry white wine
1lemonjuice only
100gcrab meatshredded and prepared for eating (tinned is fine, but rinse the brine off)
25gchivesfinely chopped
2tbspolive oil/rapeseed oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
To begin, pre-heat the oven to 220/Gas 7.
Peel the pumpkin, remove the seeds (save for another dish), and cut the flesh into roughly 2cm dice. Add to a roasting tin alongside a generous pinch of salt and a drizzle of oil, then cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes until soft and lightly roasted.
Heat the stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Decrease the heat under the stock pot and continue to keep warm.
While the stock is heating, heat a splash of oil in a separate large frying pan and add the shallots. Season with salt and cook the shallots over a low heat until translucent.
When the shallots become translucent, add the rice to the pan, increase the heat to medium-high and stir quickly until the shallots rice are well combined. This will take between a minute and 90 seconds. Pour the wine into the pan, increase the heat to high and stir until the wine is absorbed.
Next, begin to add the stock to the pan containing the rice, one ladleful at a time, and stir almost continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed. Repeating this process until the rice is al dente. This should take 15-20 minutes.
After 10 minutes has passed, add the roasted pumpkin to the pan and continue to cook.
Taste the rice and add 2/3 of the crab meat around 2 minutes before the rice is cooked.
As soon as the rice is cooked al dente and a the risotto has good consistency, remove the pan from the heat, taste, and add a pinch of salt (if needed).
Plate evenly between four bowls, then top each bowl with a spoonful of the reserved crab meat, chopped chives, and a generous crack of black pepper.