Frugal Recipes

Check out this amazing recipe for pumpkin and sage risotto - for 66p per person!

Recipe #18: Pumpkin and sage risotto (serves 5)

In our brand new Frugal Recipe series, we'll be looking at cheaper cuts of meat and cheaper, more sustainable fish and how to make them into some fantastic meals over the next couple of months.

I'll be showing you some recipes that are great alternatives to (and in my opinion equally delicious as) the more expensive pork chops, chicken breasts and unsustainable cod options.

In the interests of our vegetarian audience (and at the request of a few) this week's recipe is a little off track as there is no meat or fish involved. I'll be using pumpkin, which is cheap, tasty and best of all seasonal.

Ingredients

1 small pumpkin, 250g (74p)
25g of fresh sage (68p)
1 medium onion (14p)
50g of parmesan (81p)
500g of arborio rice (95p)

The cupboard staples...

Salt, black pepper, 1 vegetable stock cube and olive oil.

Total cost

If you already have the cupboard staples, then according to mysupermarket.co.uk, this trolley was cheapest at ASDA, where it came to £3.32 - that's 66p per head!

Instructions

Firstly finely chop the onion and dice the pumpkin into small cubes. Then get a heavy based pan on the heat, drizzle in a little olive oil and soften the onion. You don't want to get any colour on the onion. Whilst the onion is softening prepare 1 pint of boiling vegetable stock (try to get the stock warm as well for adding to the risotto).
Now add a handful (about 50g) of risotto rice to the pan for each person. Make sure you get the rice all nice and coated with the onions and oil. Then add the pumpkin and chopped sage leaves.
Now add a little stock and keep stirring over a medium heat. The more you stir the creamier the finished dish. Keep adding a little of the hot stock until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid. You're looking for a silky, slightly loose finish.
Finely season with salt and pepper and a handful of parmesan.
Happy eating!

A bit about our Chef, Paul Warburton

Paul Warburton, a lovemoney.com staff member, had a hectic career in the world of hot kitchens and screaming chefs before joining the lovemoney.com products development team.

During these years, under the tutorage of some great chefs, he honed his skills in cooking for numbers within a tight cost and portion-controlled environment.

Now he's planning to regularly offer his help to all budding chefs in the lovemoney.com community, so you can enjoy his original, low-cost recipes with your family and friends every Friday for free!

What lovemoney.com readers have said about Paul's other recipes

"We enjoyed this recipe very much: easy to make and even easier to eat!" varneyrob

"I made this recipe and it was absolutely delicious! Seriously good! Five of us feasted on it, and feasted well..." Ibeshy

"I made this recipe on Saturday night, and my 13 year-old son promptly requested it again for the following night!" Malcolm Wheatley

"This is a cracking risotto recipe. Just had it for lunch & it's a winner. More recipes please. Thanks." SavvyLass

"Another delicious offering from Paul. Thank you - keep 'em coming!" Palefire

Please add your own comments using the comments box below!

If you like this recipe, why not also try Paul's other Frugal Recipes: Rolled breast of lamb with garlic mash and Savoy cabbage | Lemon & rosemary chicken thighs | Thai Pollock curry with egg noodles | Chunky pea and ham soup| Spaghetti alla carbonara | Pork stroganoff | Green chilli meat balls, sunflower seed couscous salad and mint yoghurt | Tagliatelle with air dried cured ham and minted peas | Beef, thyme and mushroom loaf with potato dauphinoise | Mixed bean and coriander green curry with fragrant rice | Egg Florentine with smoked cheddar and rocket salad | Beef, mushroom and thyme pie | Spicy tuna, bean and coriander lasagne | Beef koftas with a feta, spinach and fresh mint salad | Chorizo and pea risotto | Sausage and rosemary hotpot | Beef & thyme (Lacashire) hotpot