Butternut Squash Risotto
I like risotto. My favorites are the standard way, and tomato risotto with zuchini. Tonight I veared away from the standard risotto with a Butternut Squash risotto.The butternut squash was a little too sweet for the risotto, but sage did an excellent job of cutting through the sweetness so that the squash wasn’t too overpowering.
Overall a pretty good meal (I served it with broccoli that was saute’d with toasted garlic). Next time I would use my butternut squash for a different application, perhaps butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sage sauce? Or soup.
Butternut Squash Risotto
(serves three)
5 cups chicken stock, kept on hot on medium heat
2 tbsp butter
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine (this time it was Wine By Joe Pinot Gris, usually it is a Chardonnay)
Butternut squash (I used 1/2 of a 2.5 lb squash)
5 sage leaves, chiffonaded
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Cut a butternut squash up into chunks, skin and seeds removed. Roast in the oven on 350 for 30-45 minutes until cooked (should be fairly soft). Mash up the cubes with a fork until most of the large chunks are gone. It is okay for a few chunks to remain.
Melt 1 tbsp of the butter in a large saute pan over medium head. Add shallot and garlic and cook for a few minutes (do not let the shallot turn brown). Add the arborio rice and toast. Add one cup of wine, give the rice a good stir, and then cook until most of the wine is gone (if rice starts sticking to the bottom of the pan, you have let too much liquid cook off). Add the chicken stock 2 ladle-fulls at a time, adding more when most of the liquid has evaporated. This process should take about 25-30 minutes. Make sure that you stir often (according to Rachel Ray, stirring helps the rice to release the starch, which makes the risotto rich and creamy). When you notice that you’re almost at the end of your chicken stock, taste the rice. Once it is al dente, add 2 more ladle-fulls of the chicken stock. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the butternut squash. During the last minute of cooking, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, the sage, and the cheese. Stir until melted. Serve immediately.