I learned to make Risotto in Italy back in 2003. It was a pivotable moment for me as I never really learned to cook when I was young. The basic recipe is simple, in fact it’s all simple but the biggest thing is stirring. You need to stir the entire time this is cooking. Why? Because that is what moves the starch around and makes the dish creamy!
(4-8 servings, depending on the course)
- This process takes about 19-23 minutes. At about 15 minutes, start tasting the rice for doneness.
Ingredients:
1 cup arborio rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
1 medium onion or shallot, finely diced
3 cups cubed butternut squash
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 (32-oz) carton low sodium stock
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup freshly chopped parsley, thyme, or chives (or whatever herb will work with your flavors)
Preheat the open to 400-degrees.
Dice your squash into 1-ish inch cubes.
Preheat the chicken stock just to the boiling point, then have it at the ready.
(There are several ways to do the squash. You can follow this recipe where you roast ¾ of the squash and then cook the other ¼ in the risotto, you can roast it all and then puree some and add the puree at the beginning after you add the wine. Or you can leave some roasted chunks hole for texture. It will all taste good!)
Roast 2/3 of the squash in a 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
Using a large skillet with a heavy bottom (I used enameled cast iron!), heat the olive oil and butter over low heat and sauté or “sweat” the onions and squash until only translucent.
Add the arborio rice, stir to coat with the butter and olive oil, and sauté with the onions to toast each grain of rice, about 7 minutes..
Once the rice is lightly toasted (the grains will appear almost clear with a little white), add the white wine slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon. (Okay, you can use a rubber spatula if you have a thing against wood spoons, but it won’t taste the same!)
After the rice has absorbed the white wine and the skillet is nearly dry, add one cup of chicken stock (think 2 ladles full), stirring often, and cook over low heat until the stock is absorbed by the rice. (You will know when to add more stock when you pull the spoon through the mixture and the rice does not slide back into the empty space.)
Continue adding the stock, a cupful at a time, until the rice will no longer absorb more liquid.
If you are going to puree your roasted squash, now would be the time to do that. You can add some chicken stock to help it along.
Right before you are at the cooked point, add the puree or roasted chunks for squash.
After the risotto has soaked up all the liquid it will take and the rice is al dente, add the butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine and serve immediately with more parmesan on top.
Use the basic risotto recipe with the following alterations: Roast 2/3 of the squash in a 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
