During the winter I enjoy a meal that is both savory
and hearty. I was inspired one night when
I was looking in the refrigerator and saw some roasted butternut squash that I
made the previous evening. What resulted was a risotto that had the savory
taste of goat cheese, the sweetness of roasted butternut squash and the
creaminess of the risotto.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Roasted
Butternut Squash
1 Medium Butternut Squash
2 TBS Olive Oil
½ tsp Kosher Salt
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
Risotto
6 C Chicken Broth (simmering on stove)
1 TBS Olive Oil
1 Small Onion (diced)
3 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
2 C Arborio Rice
½ C Dry White Wine
2 oz Goat’s Cheese (crumbled)
Directions
for Roasted Butternut Squash
If you have left-over roasted butternut squash, dice
it into ½ inch squares until you have enough to fill 1 cup. If you are starting
from scratch preheat oven to 425°F.
Cut the ends off of the butternut squash then peel
completely. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Slice the squash into
½ inches thick slices – they will look like half moons. Place the slices in a
bowl and coat them with the olive oil, salt and pepper, coating each slice
completely.
Cover the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with
aluminum foil. Lay the slices on the baking sheet in a single layer.
Place in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until
soft and they have started to brown at the edges. Flip halfway through. After
they have cooled, dice the slices into ½ inch squares until you have enough to
fill 1 cup. Save the remaining butternut squash for another dinner.
Directions
for Risotto
Put the chicken broth in a small saucepan and bring to
a low simmer.
In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium-high heat
and fry the onions until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for
30 seconds. Add the rice and cook for an additional 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and add the white
wine. Keep stirring until all liquid is
absorbed, about 3-4 minutes.
Add 3 cups of the hot chicken broth to the rice and
continue to stir until the liquid is almost absorbed. At this point you will see patches of the
sauce pan as you stir. It will probably
take about 7-8 minutes. Add additional
hot broth ½ cup (I add a ladle full) at a time, until the liquid is absorbed
after each addition. It will take longer
and longer for the liquid to be absorbed after each addition.
As soon as you have added the last bit of hot broth
add the diced roasted squash and the goat’s cheese. Quickly stir until the cheese has melted and
everything is creamy and hot. Serve
immediately.
To
print a copy of this recipe go to Risotto with
Goats's Cheese and Roasted Butternut Squash.
