Pumpkin Risotto with smoked Ham

One of my favourite You Tubers made something like this. Donal Skehan. I love the non fuss cooking style. Many recipes are very structured and not overpowered with ingredients.

His easy 15 minute meals are inspiring. When you get home, he makes it easy to get some tasty food on the table in a very short time.
Well, this recipe is not one of the quickest ones. Risotto takes time and peeling and preparing a pumpkin in the oven is a bit of work too.

With a little spare broth you can take the leftovers with you for your lunch break.

Recipe:
650 ml good quality homemade chicken stock
160 g Carneroli risotto rice
1 white onion
2 cloves of garlic
Pinch of saffron
50 ml Noilly Prat
3 tbsp butter
40 g grated gryêre cheese
1/2 butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut the butternut squash in two halves and peel the skin down with a sharp knife.
Take a spoon and get the seeds out. Cut in 1 inch slices and put on a baking tray, season and sprinkle with olive oil. Bake at 180 C fan for 30 - 40 min.

Peel and chop onion and garlic. Heat up 1 tbsp of butter and saute them.
Get the rice in and coat it well.
Splash in the Vermouth and cook it down. Sprinkle in the saffron.
Heat up the chicken stock and pour it in ladle by ladle.

When the rice is done, add butter and gryêre.
Take 3 slices of pumpkin and mash them with a fork.
Mix that into the rice.

Serve on a plate, top with slices of pumpkin and some ham.