The colder weather is here and we're all for it as it signals that we finally get to enjoy some scrumptious pumpkin spice treats again! We asked our NEC Group Executive Head Chef, Simon Hellier, who is in our in-house catering team Amadeus, for his go to pumpkin recipes and flavours for Autumn.
Why not give them a go and tell us your thoughts? We’d also love to see your creations. Tag us in your posts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to be featured across our social channels.
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Pumpkin Risotto, flavoured with rosemary
Ingredients:
- 200 grams carnaroli rice
- 600 ml chicken stock/veg stock
- 400 grams of 2cm diced pumpkin
- 5 grams rosemary finely chopped
- 50/70 grams finely grated parmesan
- 1 average size clove of garlic peeled and crushed
- 100 grams finely diced onion
- 75 grams butter
- 20/30 ml olive oil
- 5 grams of salt
- 10 grams chives
Method:
- Pre heat oven to 200c
- Peel pumpkin and reserve peeled skin
- Dice pumpkin into 2 cm dice
- Pick off 5 grams of rosemary leaves and reserve stalks
- Peel and dice onion
- If using vegetable stock take pumpkin skin, ½ the rosemary stalks and onion trim and place in pan of 900 ml of boiling water, simmer for 20 minutes pass through sieve and keep hot.
- Take diced pumpkin sprinkle half of rosemary over pumpkin with olive oil and a pinch of salt and roast for 20 mins until just soft to touch. Once cooked, leave in a warm place
- Heat up stock so it simmers
- Melt 50 grams of butter in a pan
- Add onions, garlic and rosemary and cook until soft, without colour
- Add rice and cook for a further 2/3 mins until rice is hot to touch on the back of hand
- Start to add ¾ of the stock gradually over a period of 12 minutes
- Keep stirring (do not Stop stirring)
- Once ¾ of stock has been added add ¾ of parmesan to risotto and stir,
- Leave to stand for 2 mins with lid on
- Add remaining stock
- Add 25 grams of butter stir, a just seasoning if needed
- Serve and top with chopped chives
- Serve with a glass of Viognier
(Vegan) Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Ingredients:
For the Cookie:
- 100g vegan margarine
- 100g light brown sugar
- 80g pumpkin puree (from a tin, or homemade)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 200g self-raising flour
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
For the Icing:
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 4 tsp plant-based milk
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper
- Mix together vegan margarine, sugar, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Stir, then bring everything together with your hands.
- Roll into 8-10 balls (don’t worry if the dough is very soft) and place them evenly on a baking tray, leaving at least a few centimetres between each ball.
- Dip your fingers in a bowl of cold water. Press down on each ball until the dough is approx. 1cm thick and the balls are a round cookie shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
- Mix the icing sugar and plant-based milk in a small bowl until smooth and drizzle over the cookies with a spoon in a pattern. Leave for the icing to set. Then enjoy!
