Butternut Squash Risotto
fall season means pumpkins, squash and gords. And as i haven’t cooked risotto in a long time, i thought to make some with butternut squash.
Recipe adapted from https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7767/butternut-squash-and-sage-risotto
Ingredients:
1kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1.5 liter vegetable stock
50g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
250-300g mushrooms, sliced
300g risotto rice
1 small glass white wine
50g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, finely grated
bunch sage, leaves picked, half roughly chopped, half left whole (optional)
Method:
Before you make the risotto, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash in 1 tbsp oil together with the chopped sage (optional). Scatter into a shallow roasting tin, sprinkle with some salt and pepper then roast for 30 mins until it is brown and soft.
While the squash is roasting, prepare the risotto. Bring the stock to the boil and keep on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over a medium heat. Stir in the onions and carrot and cook gently for 5-8 mins until soft but not coloured, stirring occasionally then add mushrooms, cook until tender. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent.
Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring the rice over a low heat for 25-30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente (with a slightly firm, starchy bite in the middle). The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.
At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in a little olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave half whole. When the risotto is just done, stir through the purée, then add the cheese and butter and leave to rest for a few mins. Serve the risotto scattered with the whole chunks of squash and the crisp sage leaves.
