Risotto definitely gets put into the category of a fancy meal. A meal you can only make for special occasions or eat when you go out to a fancy dinner. However, it is not as difficult as it's made out to seem. This butternut squash risotto should easily be one of your weeknight staple meals.
I don't know about you guys but I watch a lot of cooking shows. Top Chef and Chopped were definitely my go to shows through thick and thin but I've recently realized that Gordon Ramsay isn't the colossal jerk he usually plays on TV, and Master Chef is a legitimate quality cooking show. I now actually love (and may be slightly in love with) Gordon. He's a class act, and probably one of the most talented and successful chefs alive currently. The effect of Covid and the lack of reality TV and cooking shows is becoming more and more apparent.
It doesn't matter if you are watching Top Chef Masters or some form of kitchen disasters the "kiss of death" when it comes to reality cooking shows is the risotto. Most contestants get eliminated when they attempt to make risotto during a challenge. I can whole heartedly admit that making risotto is not a good idea for a fast pace competition show environment. Yet, I think the whole "kiss of death" stigma from reality cooking competition gives risotto a bad rap. Risotto is not hard to make. Cooking with raw chicken is more stressful for me. Risotto just requires your attention and is not quick to make. It's not a set it and forgot it type of meal but I can guarantee you that if you spend a solid 35 minutes tending to it, you will get a deliciously gourmet meal. It's kind of like knitting. Sure it takes a while to knit a sweater but you're doing the same stitch over and over again.
I was in the grocery store the other day and a sweet older man came up to me and asked me if I ever heard of this ingredient. He brought up a page on his phone referencing arborio rice. I asked him if he was making risotto and proceeded to give him advice as I located where to find arborio in the store. I don't think he really understood what I was talking about but make sure you are using arborio rice when you cook risotto. If you find yourself lost like my friend in the grocery store, it's in the rice section, but usually in a plastic case.
I was in the grocery store the other day and a sweet older man came up to me and asked me if I ever heard of this ingredient. He brought up a page on his phone referencing arborio rice. I asked him if he was making risotto and proceeded to give him advice as I located where to find arborio in the store. I don't think he really understood what I was talking about but make sure you are using arborio rice when you cook risotto. If you find yourself lost like my friend in the grocery store, it's in the rice section, but usually in a plastic case.
Ingredients:
6 cups cubed butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallot (2 large shallots)
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Fried Sage:
10 - 15 fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss butternut squash with olive and salt and pepper and place on a sheet pan. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
2. While squash is roasting heat chicken broth in a small covered sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and leave on low heat.
3. In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium low heat and add in shallots. Cook for about 10 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add in arborio rice and toss to coat with the butter/shallot mix. Allow the rice to "toast" for about 2 - 3 minutes on medium low heat. Add in the wine and stir occasionally so that the wine and saffron and cook for two minutes. The wine will soak and absorb into the rice and the mixture will become dry.
4. Add in two ladles (about 1 cup) of broth into the rice and stir to combine. Stir and simmer until the stock is fully absorbed into the rice. Stir frequently to prevent rice from sticking. It will likely take 5 - 8 minutes for the broth to absorb into the rice. Continue to add in the broth, one ladle at a time, stirring every few minutes. Once the mixture is dry, add in more broth. Repeat this process until the rice is fully cooked. This will likely take 30 minutes.
5. Remove the risotto from the heat and add in the roasted butternut squash and parmesan cheese.
6. To fry the sage, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add in sage leaves and cook for roughly 3 - 5 minutes until they become crispy. Serve over risotto.
6 cups cubed butternut squash
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup minced shallot (2 large shallots)
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp saffron threads
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese
Fried Sage:
10 - 15 fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup olive oil
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss butternut squash with olive and salt and pepper and place on a sheet pan. Roast for 25 - 30 minutes, until tender. Set aside.
2. While squash is roasting heat chicken broth in a small covered sauce pan. Bring to a simmer and leave on low heat.
3. In a dutch oven, melt butter over medium low heat and add in shallots. Cook for about 10 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add in arborio rice and toss to coat with the butter/shallot mix. Allow the rice to "toast" for about 2 - 3 minutes on medium low heat. Add in the wine and stir occasionally so that the wine and saffron and cook for two minutes. The wine will soak and absorb into the rice and the mixture will become dry.
4. Add in two ladles (about 1 cup) of broth into the rice and stir to combine. Stir and simmer until the stock is fully absorbed into the rice. Stir frequently to prevent rice from sticking. It will likely take 5 - 8 minutes for the broth to absorb into the rice. Continue to add in the broth, one ladle at a time, stirring every few minutes. Once the mixture is dry, add in more broth. Repeat this process until the rice is fully cooked. This will likely take 30 minutes.
5. Remove the risotto from the heat and add in the roasted butternut squash and parmesan cheese.
6. To fry the sage, heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add in sage leaves and cook for roughly 3 - 5 minutes until they become crispy. Serve over risotto.
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