Baby catering

When we didn't know what to do with a squash a couple of months back, Terry consulted his oracle, the River Cafe cookbook green. He made the pumpkin and cinnamon risotto (risotto alla zucca e cannella), which was delish for us and Babs, and particularly good for getting some weight on the baby, because we could slather on the olive oil and parmesan at the end. It's been a complete failsafe for Babs, whose interest in individual foodstuffs is difficult to sustain.

Anyway, last week's grocery order included an organic butternut squash, which I made into squash and cinnamon risotto yesterday. We were missing oregano, but it doesn't seem to have harmed it much. And instead of chicken stock, our pescetarian and salt-fearing family demands Marigold vegan salt-free vegetable stock. Which again, doesn't seem to have harmed it any. My mum was visiting, and she really enjoyed it; Babs liked it, and scoffed everything on her plate; and Terry was very complimentary when he came home. Two adult portions and a tiddly baby size down, there was enough left for 4 ice cube trays and a two-person portion for the freezer. And it's vegan. If you don't serve with cheese.

So, by way of recommendation (modified a little bit for convenience/vegetarianism/babyfeeding):

Risotto alla zucca e cannella ('serves 6')

1kg butternut squash, pumpkin or onion squash
1 cinnamon stick, about 5cm (book says crushed, but I left it whole so I could fish it out)
1l stock
1 tbsp dried oregano (though it really was fine without)
4 sticks of celery, finely chopped
2 small onions, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of dried, crushed chilli
400g arborio rice (they say carnaroli, but the only organic risotto rice I could get was arborio. And truthfully, I don't know the difference.)
400g tin chopped tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil and parmesan (they say pecorino) to serve.

Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7, and heat stock.
Cut the squash in half lengthwise and widthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into wedges. Season with salt, pepper & half the oregano (or none of them - that was fine), place them on an oiled baking tray and cook for 30-40 minutes (until browned and cooked).

While the squash is roasting, heat a good glug of olive oil in a large, deep, heavy-based pan, and cook the onion and celery for 5-10 minutes, until softened. Add the chilli, remaining oregano and cinnamon. Fry these together briefly, and add the rice. Stir to coat each grain with oil, and cook til opaque - 2-3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and allow this to reduce - a couple more minutes, stirring. Then add the stock, a ladleful at a time - allowing all the stock to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful, stirring all the time. It really will catch if you don't keep stirring, risotto novices! Continue until the rice is al dente - about 15 minutes - then add the squash.

I add the squash peeled, in small-ish cubes; the book says to pass it, skin and all, through a mouli first (we just don't have one). Test for seasoning (add salt v cautiously if this is for a tiddler, and not at all for under-ones) & serve drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated parmesan/pecorino.

Modified by me, but probably copyright Rose Gray & Ruth Rogers (2000) River Cafe Cook Book Green. London: Random House.

Really, really yummy. And half of it made 48 cubes, which at 6 per meal will do Babs about 8 meals.