A delicious creamy risotto is not hard to make, and it's a healthy meal that gets kids eating will. Taking this recipe as a basic mould, you can get creative and make it more to your taste by adding your own ingredients later.

Serves 2 (double or quadruple the ingredients for greater quantities)

Preparation time: under 45 minutes.

Ingredients

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel one half and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Put remaining half, cut side down, in an oiled shallow baking pan with diced squash and season with salt and pepper. Bake squash in middle of oven, stirring diced squash occasionally, until tender and browned lightly, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Holding halved squash in a kitchen towel, scoop out flesh and chop coarse.

4. Boil the water and crumble the stock into it. Add to a saucepan, bring down to simmer and keep at a bare simmer.

5. In another saucepan cook onion, garlic, and ginger root in butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.

6. Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup broth and cook, stirring constantly, and keeping at a simmer throughout, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding stock, about 1/4 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until about half of broth has been added. Stir in diced and chopped squash and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still al dente: about 18 minutes. Stir in chives and salt and pepper to taste.

7. Spoon risotto into 2 shallow serving bowls and garnish with chives and parmesan curls.