Actually, I'm enduring the gruelingly long process of making risotto because I want an excuse to make butternut squash.
Yes, this = butternut squash.
About a year ago, I became obsessed with squash. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I never had it growing up (aside from zucchini, but who knew that was squash?), and maybe it's because there's such a variety. And maybe it's because it's SO CHEAP. Anywho, a year ago I became obsessed with squash, and insisted on making every type of squash every night for dinner. Butternut squash, acorn squash, delicata squash, spaghetti squash... and the list goes on. My boyfriend would come home after a long, hard day of work, expecting nothing less than a rare, juicy steak, only to see a roasted, orange concoction strewn upon his plate. "What the hell is this?!" "Hubbard, obviously," I'd reply, pushing a baked orange slice towards him, smothered in honey, brown sugar, and pecans.
I think the last straw was when I returned, ecstatic, from King Kullen with a large Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin). He responded by grabbing it out of my hands and rolling it down the street (and we live on a hill), and I had to run after my precious Kabocha before it got hit by one of the many Nissan Muranos that speed down our block.
After autumn, there hasn't been much squash variety in any local supermarket or farmer's market, but I have had several packs of frozen butternut squash collecting freezer burn since December. You know me, I'm always an advocate for fresh food over frozen, but I'm also an advocate of not running to the store when there is already food in your house. Combine that with a giant box of Arborio Rice that's been collecting dust in my pantry, and you've got yourself some Butternut Squash Risotto.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Makes 2 (LARGE) servings... Seriously, we couldn't even finish it all. So that probably makes it about 8 servings.
Ingredients
-1 medium butternut squash--or, in my case, 1 12-oz box of frozen precooked winter squash (usually a combination of butternut and acorn squash)
-2 tbsp olive oil
-4 tbsp butter
-6 cups chicken stock (I'll be using the Organic Free Range Chicken Broth from Costco that I mentioned here ...delish!)
-1 medium white or yellow onion (or a few shallots, if you want to be fancy), chopped
-1 vacuum-packed packet of Arborio Rice (about 17.5 oz of dry risotto, or 500 g)
-1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (depending on your taste)-Salt & pepper, to taste
Steps
-For those of you using frozen winter squash, you've got it easy. Place the squash in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and reduce heat to a medium low. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes to ensure even cooking.
-For those who have an actual butternut squash, you have to do a lil' prep work. First, half the squash lengthwise with a sharp knife (try not to cut off any fingers... I hear the taste of blood doesn't mesh well with risotto). Use a large spoon or ice cream scooper to remove all the seeds and stringy crap in the center of the squash. Brush the squash halves (not the stringy crap) with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and place in a baking pan, cut side up.
Tip: Add about 1/4 cup water to the baking pan, to keep squash from drying out.
-Place your baking pan of orange deliciousness in the oven at 350°F for anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes (you'll want to occasionally check if your fork could pierce the flesh easily...that means it's done). Remove baking pan from oven. Allow to cool until manageable. Cut squash into tiny cubes, place in a bowl, and mash together. Purée mash in a blender to get rid of any remaining lumps, adding a little water if the mixture gets too pasty. Set aside.
-Meanwhile, place your chicken stock or broth in a saucepan, and simmer until hot.
-At the same time (I hope yo' azz could multitask!), you should be heating the olive oil and butter in large pot or dutch oven (hahaha dutch oven... I really can't type this without laughing). Why both oil and butter, you ask? I'm sure you didn't ask, but I find this interesting. Well, since you're so interested, the butter adds the flavor and creamy texture to the risotto. However, butter burns extremely easily, so the olive oil helps give the butter a little bit more staying power. Now, you can sleep easily knowing why both greasing methods are used in this recipe!
-Add your chopped onions to the heated oil/butter, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, or until your onions are transparent, but not caramelized.
Multitasking at its finest
-Add rice to the onions, stirring to coat the grains with the oil/butter. Stir for about 2 minutes, and then add a ladle full of chicken stock to the rice, with a dash of salt and pepper. Continue stirring (does this count as an arm workout?) until the stock is absorbed. This should take about 5-10 minutes.
-Now's the time to stir in your butternut mash, too. (Little bit at a time... you don't want to overwhelm your risotto with squash. Add a ladle-full at a time, and taste. Taste squash-y enough? Stop.)
-Keep adding a ladle or 2 of stock to the rice, stirring constantly until it's absorbed (and now you understand why I must be drunk to cook risotto).
-Continue this process until your rice is "al dente," and neither dry nor swamped in liquid.
-Turn off the heat, mix in a little Parmigiano, and you've got yourself some freakin' risotto!
PS: This will murder pretty much any diet you're on. But it's so worth it.
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