Bluebell has rice way to showcase cheese; Recipes.

WITH British Cheese Week about to begin, one of the area's top pubs is sharing a recipe to make the most of the ingredient.

Running from Saturday, the annual event is supported by cheesemakers, retailers and restaurateurs and coincides with British Food Fortnight.

The award-winning Bluebell in High Street, Henley in Arden, prides itself on using locally-sourced produce, including vegetables and herbs from its own allotments.

The winner of the Best Dining Pub category in the Coventry & Warwickshire Food and Drink Awards in both 2008 and 2009, it is also included in the Good Food Guide 2010.

Owned by Leigh and Duncan Taylor, the venue has scooped a number of awards since they took over four years ago.

Ingredients 400g/14oz Arborio or other Italian risotto rice; large butternut squash; large onion, chopped; two garlic cloves, peeled; 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; dozen sage leaves; sea salt and ground black pepper; three large knobs of butter; two glasses white wine; 1ltr hot chicken or vegetable stock; large handful of grated Berkswell cheese, plus extra to serve; 75g pinenuts, to serve.

Method Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the butternut squash into 6-8 wedges, deseed and place in a roasting tray.

Chop the garlic and add a generous splash of olive oil, half the sage leaves, salt and pepper. Pour into the tray and cover the butternut squash.

Roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes until soft and golden.

Allow to cool, then remove the flesh from the skin and place into a bowl. Mash lightly until chunky in texture.

Pour any juices left in the roasting tray into the bowl and keep warm while making the risotto.

Heat the olive oil and a large knob of butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan. Soften the onion in the pan before adding the rice and stir for about a minute until all the grains are coated with the mix.

Pour in the wine and stir continuously until it evaporates. Add a ladleful of hot stock and the remaining sage and season well with salt and pepper.

Simmer gently, adding ladles of stock as it cooks into the rice, stirring all the time. After about 15-20 minutes the rice should be soft but still have a bit of bite.

The risotto should be thick and creamy in texture. If it is not, add extra stock, stirring continuously as you do so.

Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the roasted butternut squash, the Berkswell Cheese, remaining butter and seasoning to taste. Cover with a lid for a couple of minutes to stand - this will give the risotto an even creamier texture.

In the meantime, put the pinenuts in a hot frying pan and toss until golden.

Spoon the risotto into warmed bowls and scatter with the pinenuts and extra Berkswell Cheese to serve.

CAPTION(S):

Award-winning: The Bluebell pub in High Street, Henley in Arden, with head chef Rob Round (above) and the butternut squash and Berkswell cheese risotto (right).