Who’s with me in thinking Halloween is just a whole pile of Hocus Pocus? I’m Halloween’s version of the Grinch. I could happily skip straight to Candy cane’s and mulled drinks of all sorts once we bid goodbye to the long summer evenings.
It may simply be laziness on my part if I am to be honest. Maybe it’s just I can’t face the prospect of decorating my house from top to toe in all things ghoulish and scary only to whip it all down again before starting the main even a few weeks later.
However if I didn’t I would never be forgiven though would I? I suppose if you can’t beat them you join them. Pumpkin carving and spider web hanging it is then. I draw the line at bin liners on my windows though.
I do hate to admit though that once I get started I secretly enjoy a bit of ghoulish fun. And my kids love it! Whilst carving pumpkins is a fairly new concept to me, they have grown up with it their whole lives. But ask my kids if they have ever had pumpkin anything to eat and there we draw a blank.
I am one of the 76% of Irish people who buy Halloween pumpkins but sadly I was also one of the 28% of people who threw the innards straight into the bin. Yes horror for sure! But alas it will be no more. I have teamed up with Knorr to create some boo-tiful pumpkin based recipes.
In keeping with family life (which let’s face it can be scary enough at times) these are really easy, tasty and fun for all the family to make and enjoy together. So happy carving and cooking this Halloween.
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
75g of chorizo, chopped to 1cm pieces
210g arborio rice
250g pumpkin
2 Knorr chicken stock pots
1000ml boiling water
50g grated parmesan
Pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry until it’s oil start to seep out. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes.
Add the rice and stir for a few minutes to toast it a little. Add about 200ml of the stock and stir until it has been absorbed into the rice. Add the diced pumpkin to the pan and stir.
Add another 200mls of stock and stir until absorbed. Repeat until the stock is gone.
Stir in the parmesan & black pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
Serve straight away in the spookiest bowl you can find.
Yours wondering if she will be able to get the fake blood off her yellow sofa,
Cli xx
