Including the oh-so-phallic squash.

Attack everything with a knife, and spend ages getting nice thin slices of squash – only to remember way too late that you have a mandolin especially for this sort of job. Idiot.

Basically, you put the chicken in the tray with the chilli, herbs and oil, and arrange the squash around it, adding some cream over the squash. It looks very pretty

Get the onion and celery started for the risotto.

Add the rice and start the long stirring process. Interestingly, most common advice is to stir constantly. When I did my Italian cookery course, the instructor told us not to stir any more than necessary. I tend to come in the middle somewhere. I just can’t be bothered with constant stirring

Adding stock and getting rather large.

Add in asparagus and tomato. This is just to make the risotto a bit more interesting, and is a combination of a couple of Jamie’s risotto recipes. This is one of the reasons I like risotto, you get the basic recipe right, and you can add pretty much anything to it.

See – there is a spoon – it’s right there! My ever-present tasting spoon – a requirement whatever you’re cooking really, but a real must when making risotto to check when it’s done.

The finished risotto which is now clearly way too much for two people, and the rest went into a tupperware in the fridge for lunch the next day.

Serve. A nice clean-looking plate. I could have made more of an effort with the squash probably.