Butternut Squash Risotto

Funny thing is that I already have posted this recipe, but wanted to repost with better pictures etc (which I'm still not happy with the outcome of them), and when I went back to look at the original post I noticed I posted it a couple days from today- so I guess I must have a craving for fall recipes right around the beginning of October.

Worked out perfect because it is all rainy up here in NY this week- and the rain doesn't seem like it's letting up any time soon. So this is a perfect opportunity (rain or shine) to make this SUPER DELICIOUS recipe. Seriously it is hard for me to contain myself while eating this. 

I wanted to make it with short grain brown rice, buttttttt time constraints made me use long grain white rice.  Oh well.

This recipe will be incorporating my Classic Risotto recipe and making it into a fall favorite of mine, so if you want to read up more about risotto- go check it out.

Ingredients

• A medium sized butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite size pieces (after diced it will look like about 3 cups of diced small pieces-after roasting it will shrink to about 2-2 1/2 cups worth)
• Plus all the regular ingredients for classic risotto:
• 1 1/4 cup of rice (shorter the grain the better-but I used long grain white rice this time) 
• about 5-6 cups of chicken stock (you might not use it all- it varies each time)
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of Parmesan cheese
• Oil or butter (2 tbsp)
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. For the squash: preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.  Dice up the squash into bite sized pieces and scoop out the seeds.  Reserve for later.  Toss the squash with salt, pepper and oil and roast on a baking sheet for 20-25 minutes until soft (will vary on how small you cut the squash pieces.  I just let it roast until I'm ready to stir into the risotto at the very end). 
2. In a sauce pan, add the stock (or I use water and bouillon cubes sometimes) and heat until a simmer, then reduce to not even a simmer.  The point is, we are just keeping the stock warm.
3. In a large shallow pot or I use a large high sided skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil or butter on medium then add the onion.  Saute until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add the other tbsp of oil and then add the rice.  Toast the rice for about 5 minutes, make sure it doesn't not burn.  Lower the heat if necessary.
5. Add the white wine and deglaze (scraping all the bits off the bottom of the pan).  When the wine is almost all absorbed add a ladleful of the warmed chicken stock.  Stir until the liquid is absorbed.  (Technically I think you have to stir the whole time, but I don't.  You just want to stir enough throughout the whole process to break up the starches in the rice to make the end texture creamy).
6. Repeat the ladleful of chicken stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed.  Repeat this until all the chicken stock is gone or the rice is done.  I taste the rice towards the end to see if it's cooked through.  When it was all done, I had about 1/2 cup of chicken stock left that I didn't wind up using.
7. When the rice is done add the cheese and mix until well incorporated.
8. Gently stir in your roasted butternut squash.
9. Serve and top with more cheese and sprinkle on some roasted seeds!*

*Seeds: After your scoop them out add them to a bowl of water.  Using your fingers try and clean the seeds from any flesh.  Let sit so all the seeds float to the top.  Gently scoop all the seeds from the top of the water and let dry briefly on a paper towel (its ok if they are still a bit wet- helps spices stick).  Put them on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Put in the oven to roast with the squash for about 7-10 minutes. It will depend on the size of the seeds- if you hear them start popping- they are done.

Butternut Squash

After roasting

Winter Squash- Butternut Squash

Butternut squash has the same benefits as the Spaghetti Squash.  It is sweet and versatile.  I prefer to roast it and then use it for whatever I might be making.  You can eat just as is as a side dish, or add it into other things (like this risotto); you can also puree it and stir into things for a lovely color and texture or probably an all around favorite making it into a soup. 

 

This recipe will be incorporating my Classic Risotto recipe and making it into a fall favorite of mine.  Sweet, salty, cheesy, filling- so good, seriously. And don’t forget to save the seeds and roast them like we did with the spaghetti squash!

 

For my Butternut Squash Risotto we just change a small amount of things to make this dish all it's own.  I actually have to credit Giada De Laurentiis for the idea of this.  The addition of the vanilla is definitely odd, and you can always leave it out, but the taste makes it so warm and comforting- it pairs perfect with the squash.  Don't knock it until you try it- I was skeptical at first too.

 

Ingredients

•  2-3 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite size pieces
• 1 tsp of vanilla extract (or 1 vanilla bean seeds scraped plus the hull)
• Plus all the regular ingredients for classic risotto:
• 1 cup of rice (shorter the grain the better)
• about 5-6 cups of chicken stock (you might not use it all- it varies each time)
• 1 onion, diced
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese
• Butter

Directions

Honestly an easy way to prepare this is go to my risotto link because everything is exactly the same except for two things:

1. In the pot with the stock add the vanilla
2. For the squash: preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss the squash with salt, pepper and oil and roast for 15-20 minutes until soft (will vary on how small you cut the squash pieces).  When that's done- add to the risotto at the very end and mix until everything is fully incorporated.
3. Add don't forget to reserve about 1-2 cups of squash for the next recipe of leftover butternut squash soup



Super Easy Leftover Butternut Squash Soup/Puree

Ingredients

(Serves about 2-4 people depending on how thick/thin you make it)

• 1-2 cups of leftover butternut squash from risotto recipe
• One small onion, diced
• 2 ribs of celery, diced
• 2 small sized carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-2  cups of chicken stock
• 1 tsp thyme
• salt and lots of fresh cracked pepper

Directions

1. In a skillet sweat the onion, celery, carrot and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remember: Sweating is cooking over medium heat and not browning the veggies.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until soft.
2. Then add the leftover squash and spices.  I mashed the squash a bit in the pan to make it easier for blending later.
3. Now when everything is heated through- you can do this in either a food processor, blender or you can use your immersion stick blender .  I used a regular blender- so I put about half the veggie/squash mixture in the blender with about ½ - 1 cup of stock- and gave it a buzz until blended.  Then I emptied the blender and did the second batch.
4. Now the consistency is completely up to you- I like thick soups (almost a puree really) and used less stock- if you want it thinner- just use more stock.  
5. When all batches are done I put the soup/puree back into the skillet and heated it up- just to make sure it was hot throughout. (because I used leftover cold stock)
6. When its hot- dish out into bowls and top with whatever you like.  Some suggestions: roasted squash seeds, sour cream, crème fraiche, bacon, extra virgin olive oil etc.

If you leave it thick, like a puree, then you could also serve underneath some baked chicken as a side dish application.

Also to make this soup vegetarian- just use veggie stock instead of chicken!

Winter Squash- Spaghetti Squash

Winter squash are awesome.  They are healthy, cheap, can feed an army and are easy to prepare.  There are definitely a couple varieties but this particular installment will focus on Spaghetti Squash.

I simply made this as a side dish but the best part about this squash is that if you are watching your carb intake- just scoop out the flesh and top with your favorite tomato sauce.  Yea, it's that easy- it has a subtle nutty flavor and is way healthier for you then pasta.

• All you will need is a spaghetti squash- I think mine was about 5 lbs (bought it at 79cents a pound), salt, pepper and some oil.

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the squash open longways and scoop out the seeds. Save the seeds! (Ill show you what to do with them later)
3. Sprinkle the inside flesh with salt, pepper, and oil- rub all over the inside so it is all coated.

4. Flip the squash so it is cut side down on a baking sheet.

5. Roast in the oven about 20-30 minutes, size will effect cooking time.  You know it is done when you poke it and it is soft to the touch.

6. Don't worry if it get a little brown.
7. When done, flip over carefully, it will be very hot and steam will escape from the underside.  If you cooked it enough the flesh should peel right away from the skin.

No mystery why they call it spaghetti squash!

And that's it! Top with salt and pepper or your favorite sauce. 

Now, what about those seeds- I think the seeds are my favorite part! If you have ever roasted pumpkin seeds- this is exactly the same thing.  Seeds are a little smaller, but taste exactly the same.

So after you scoop the seeds out, clean them up a bit and try to separate the seeds from the stringy flesh stuff.  You can rinse them off if you like. 

When cleaned, lay out evenly on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Pop in the oven alongside your squash (at 400 degrees) and roast for a couple minutes until brown.  It will take about 10 minutes.  Then just eat!  You can do this with any type of squash.