Recipes

Ingredients

• 250g packet shredded Coon Extra Tasty Cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 chicken fillets, diced
• 75g butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• ½ butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 1.5 litres hot chicken stock, simmering
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Method

Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and cook chicken until browned and remove. Add 50g butter to pan and saute onion until softened. Add rice and cook, stirring for one minute or until the rice has turned an opaque white colour. Add pumpkin, chicken and a cup of simmering stock and cook, uncovered, stirring until all the liquid has been absorbed. Adding hot stock is important to maintain the cooking temperature and continue the cooking process. Continue adding stock in this manner, stirring regularly, until the rice is cooked to ‘al dente’ stage -this will take 15-20 minutes. If more liquid is required during this process add extra chicken stock or boiling water.

Stir in basil, half the cheese and remaining butter, and season to taste. The final texture of the risotto should be moist and almost a little sloppy, not as dry as you would cook other rice dishes. Serve in pasta bowls with remaining cheese and a grinding of pepper.