Butternut and pea risotto

THIS recipe from the cookery book Eating for Two by Annael Karmel serves four and is ideal for a "meat-free Monday" dish, especially if you are a purist and use vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock. INGREDIENTS: 250g peeled butternut squash, cubed 3 tablepoons olive oil 1 large onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 175g risotto rice 750ml chicken stock 75ml white wine 100g frozen peas 25g Parmesan, grated 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1tablespoon chopped parsley salt and pepper METHOD: Pre-heat the oven to 220ºC. Put the cubed butternut squash onto a baking sheet. Toss in one tablespoon of oil and season. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside. Measure the remaining oil into a saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and stir over the heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and coat in the mixture. Put the chicken stock into a saucepan, bring to the boil, then add a ladleful of stock to the rice with the white wine. Stir until absorbed, then continue to add the stock until the rice is cooked. Add the peas five minutes before the risotto is tender. Add the butternut squash, Parmesan, lemon juice and parsley. Season well. Serve at once.

• Annabel Karmel's Eating for Two is published by Random House Struik