YOU may feel you’ve been busy enough in the kitchen over the last couple of weeks – but January is actually a great time for entertaining.

An evening of good food, wine and friends can be the best thing to enliven this long, cold, dull month when spring seems a long time away.

The critically acclaimed Green Room Restaurant, at The Green House Hotel in Bournemouth, has come up with a gastronomic twist on the traditional canapé to tantalise your guests’ taste buds.

Head chef Andy Hilton agreed to reveal this secret recipe for you to impress your dinner guests.

Roasted Celeriac and Chestnut Risotto Cakes

Preparation and process time: 18 minutes

Makes 30 balls

500g arborio risotto rice

2 red English shallots

4 cloves of Isle of Wight garlic

200ml organic Somerset cider

1 pt vegetable stock

1 med celeriac (diced)

250g roasted chestnuts

200g English cheddar

Sweat onions and garlic, add risotto rice (raw), cook until hot to touch. Add cider, stir until liquid has been absorbed and then add a third of the vegetable stock.

Keep stirring until liquid has been absorbed and repeat until stock is used. Add roasted chestnuts and roasted celeriac dice and 200g cheese off the heat.

Leave to cool, roll into golf ball sized balls and freeze so that they keep their shape (approx 1 hour). Take out after 1 hour, roll in flour then egg then breadcrumbs and deep fry for three minutes. Season to preference; be adventurous and add some herbs!