In The Goodness of Garlic by Natasha Edwards, you will find 40 recipes devoted to garlic glory. This recipe caught our eye immediately. Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto seemed to be the idea dish for cooling nights. We made this last weekend, as the last of our leaves began to fall, and this risotto eased that “fall melancholy” we experience this time of year. The green is long gone, now the colors have left, and all that remains are the skeletons of trees for the next five cold months.
This dish is, in a word, perfect. We loved it. Rich, creamy, filled with flavor. It’s a wonderful meal. The recipe calls for pine nuts and we looked for our pine nuts at the end and discovered that, oops, we did not have even one. We did have a big bag of pecans, so our picture shows them happily scattered atop the steaming risotto.
This dish can be a healthy side, in place of say mashed potatoes, or it truly can be the main event. Paired with a side and a chilled bottle of white, this risotto is magnificent.
You can catch my review of The Goodness of Garlic right here.
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 large butternut squash, cut into large chunks, seeds removed
- 3 to 4 large garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- A few sprigs of thyme, plus 1 tablespoon chopped thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup Arborio risotto rice
- ½ cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- A handful of freshly grated vegetarian Parmesan, plus extra to serve
- A handful of toasted pine nuts, to serve
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to375°F.
Place the butternut squash in a large bowl, then crush in l to 2 garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil, throw in the thyme sprigs, and season well. Mix thoroughly, ensuring the squash gets a good covering of oil and the garlic is well distributed. Put the mixture in a large roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the edges of the squash begin to brown.
Remove the squash from the oven and allow it to cool slightly before scraping the flesh away from the skin into a bowl, removing any thyme twigs. Scrape any sticky juices into the bowl and mash the squash. Keep warm while making the risotto.
Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy-based pan, add the onion, and gently fry until softened, about 2 minutes. Crush in two garlic cloves and gently fry for another 2 minutes.
Add the rice and stir well so the grains become coated in the butter and oil. Pour in the wine and stir well until absorbed.
Add a ladleful of hot stock and stir until absorbed. Keep the pan simmering while gradually adding more stock and continuing to stir, until the rice is cooked al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. The risotto should have a smooth and creamy consistency. Add more stock if necessary.
Remove from the heat and add the mashed squash, grated Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon of chopped thyme, and seasoning to taste. Stir well.
Serve with toasted pine nuts and a sprinkling of grated or shaved Parmesan.
Source: The Goodness of Garlic by Natasha Edwards [Kyle Books 2016]