Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for drizzling
• ½ onion
• finely chopped
• ¼ garlic clove
• crushed
• 200g/7oz risotto rice
• such as carnaroli
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 150g/5oz butternut squash
• peeled and cut into 1cm/½in cubes
• 300ml/10½fl oz water
• 300ml/10½fl oz tomato essence or passata
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• halved
• 2 baby courgettes
• halved lengthways and sliced into 1cm/½in thick pieces
• 1 baby fennel
• sliced
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• lightly crushed
• 80g/3oz peas
• 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese
• 4 tsp freshly grated parmesan
• plus extra for sprinkling
• 4 tbsp baby salad leaves

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Heat a pan over a medium heat
• add the olive oil and gently fry the onion for 3–4 minutes
• or until tender. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
• Add the rice
• stirring well to coat in the olive oil. Fry for 1–2 minutes
• or until the rice is translucent. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the butternut squash to the pan and mix well. Add the water and half of the tomato essence
• then bring to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
• Place the remaining tomato essence into a saucepan and warm through.
• Meanwhile
• place the halved cherry tomatoes onto a baking tray
• drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 5–6 minutes
• or until the tomatoes are just tender and collapsed slightly.
• By now
• the rice should have absorbed all of the liquid. Remove the lid and stir well. Add the courgettes
• baby fennel and coriander seeds and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the peas
• mascarpone and parmesan and stir well
• adding a little extra tomato essence if the risotto is too dry.
• To serve
• spoon the risotto into a small serving bowl. Top with a few roasted tomatoes
• a little sprinkling of parmesan and some micro leaves. Spoon over the warmed tomato essence.