Squash and Sage Risotto

This is my first attempt ever at making risotto. It is another recipe that is kind of labor intensive, requiring a lot of stirring, but it is well worth it. Since making this recipe I've also tried a mushroom risotto, which I loved, but I love this one even more.

I started by roasting a butternut squash. The result could have stood on its own. So delicious and easy, I think I'll make it again without the risotto.

While the squash was roasting I made the risotto base:

The finished product:


Risotto base:

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
4-5 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 lb. 6 oz. Arborio rice
9 oz. white wine

Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Put the olive oil and butter in a separate large pa n and add the onion and celery. Cook very gently for about 15 minutes, without coloring, until soft. Add the rice and turn up the heat. Don't let the rice or vegetables catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving.

Quickly pour in the wine. You will smell the alcohol immediately, so keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated.

Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly. Continue to add ladlefuls of stock until it has all been absorbed. This should take about 15 minutes and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still al dente

The risotto is now ready for specific recipes:

Squash and Sage Risotto

cinnamon
1 dried red chilli
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium butternut squash, quartered and seeds discarded
olive oil
1 x basic risotto recipe
2 1/2 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
1 T. cream cheese
7 T. butter
1-2 handfuls freshly grated Parmesan cheese
olive oil
a bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub the squash quarters with cinnamon, finely chopped red chilli, salt, pepper and olive oil. Cook for 45-55 minutes until soft and caramelized. Remove from oven and reserve.

While the squash is cooking, make the basic risotto recipe. Then put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in half the stock followed by all your risotto base. Scoop the flesh out of the squash skin and break it in. Stirring all the time, gently bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed. Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice is soft and creamy.

Turn off the heat, beat in the cream cheese, butter and Parmesan. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heat a medium-sized frying pan with some olive oil and fry the sage leaves for a minute or two until crispy. Dry on paper towels.

Serve the risotto with the sage leaves on top.