Butternut Squash Risotto
This is very close to the Ina Garten recipe, which calls for saffron. If you have saffron, by all means, add it! Risotto has a reputation for being difficult, but it is NOT. It is easy to make, but you can't really rush it.
Servings 8 servings
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or heavy bottom 4qt pot
- 1 half sheet pan
- 1 2qt saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 med butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced about 2#
- 2 Tbl EVOO
- 3/4 stick butter, in several pieces 6 Tbl, I use salted ALWAYS
- 3 Tbl diced pancetta sub 1-2 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
- 2 med shallots, small dice or one large, about 3 Tbl
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced about 1.5 Tbl
- 3-4 stems fresh thyme, remove leaves about 2 tsp, use 1 tsp if dried
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice NO substitutions
- 5-6 cups chicken stock at a simmer
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup Parmesano Reggiano, ground get the good stuff!
- S/P to taste
- shredded parm to top
Instructions
- Gather ingredients and prep the veg first.
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Put diced squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with EVOO; toss to cover. Lightly season with S/P. Roast squash about 15-20 minutes until it is soft and getting browned. Set aside when finished.
- Put chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to simmer.
- Put dutch oven over medium heat. Add butter, pancetta, shallots and garlic. Cook gently until veg is soft, about 5 mins.
- Add thyme and rice. Stir rice to cover each grain with butter.
- Begin adding stock, 2 ladles (about 3/4 cup) at a time. Add stock, stir until the liquid is absorbed, repeat. Keep doing this until the rice is as done as you like it and a little loose. The parmesan will tighten it up, so looser is better.
- Off the heat, stir in ground reggiano and stir vigorously for a couple of minutes. This develops the creamy starches from the rice.
- Gently stir in squash. Check S/P levels.
- Serve with shredded parm on top.
Notes
Photo credit: Food Network and Ina Garten