Alfreds Winter Squash Risotto Food

RISOTTO WITH ROASTED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and spread on the baking sheet in an even layer. Place in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender and caramelized. Remove from the heat.
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
• Heat the remaining oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan or a wide saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add one third of the squash, the garlic, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender and the garlic fragrant, about 1 minute, and add the rice. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate.
• Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock, enough to just cover the rice and squash. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add the sage and another ladleful of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked al dente. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Add the remaining roasted squash and another 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Stir in the Parmesan and parsley, and immediately remove from the heat. Add freshly ground pepper, taste one last time and adjust salt. The rice should be creamy. Serve at once.

CREAMY SQUASH RISOTTO WITH TOASTED PEPITAS

Steps:

• Make the Squash Purée:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash (cut side down) on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until it gives easily when pressed, 30-45 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Scoop flesh from squash and transfer to a food processor. Add oil, miso, paprika, and salt and purée, scraping down sides as needed, until very smooth.
• Do Ahead: Squash purée can be made 4 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.
• Make the Risotto:
• Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a medium pot.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large deep-sided skillet or braising dish over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent but not browned, 5-7 minutes. Season with 2 tsp. salt, add rice, and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is translucent around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until evaporated, 1-2 minutes.
• Add 1/2 cup (about a ladleful) boiling water to rice mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until water is absorbed, about 1-2 minutes. Continue adding water 1/2 cup at a time and stirring constantly until rice is al dente and all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in 2 cups squash purée and continue to cook, stirring, until heated through, 3-5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• Meanwhile, cook pumpkin seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, and remaining 1/3 cup oil and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until seeds are puffed and starting to brown and oil is fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in orange zest (zest will sizzle).
• Transfer risotto to a platter. Pour pepitas and oil over, then top with dill. Serve with orange wedges alongside for squeezing over.

WINTER WARMER HEARTY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel the butternut squash, slice it in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds.
• Cut the flesh of the butternut squash into small cubes and put in a mixing bowl. Drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over the squash, and season with black pepper, and nutmeg or cinnamon. Transfer the squash to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for about 25 mins until cooked through, then set aside.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a low heat. Add the onion and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Allow the onion to cook without colouring for 5-10 mins, stirring occasionally.
• In a measuring jug, make up 1.5 litres of stock from boiling water and the stock cube. Stir well until the stock cube has dissolved. When the onion is soft, remove the lid and add the garlic to the onion pan. Leave it to cook for 1 min more.
• Rinse the rice under cold water. Turn up the heat on the pan and add the rice to the onion and garlic, stirring well for 1 min. Pour a little of the hot stock into the pan and stir in until the liquid is absorbed by the rice.
• Gradually add the rest of the stock to the pan, a little at a time, stirring constantly, waiting until each addition of stock is absorbed before adding more. Do this until the rice is cooked through and creamy - you may not need all the stock. This should take 15-20 mins. Take the roasting tin out of the oven - the squash should be soft and cooked.
• Add the squash, peas and sweetcorn to the risotto and gently stir it in. Season to taste. Take the risotto pan off the heat and stir in the Parmesan and herbs. Put the lid back on the pan and let the risotto stand for 2-3 mins before serving.

WINTER SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut squash into medium size pieces, scrape out seeds and stringy flesh and discard. Steam cleaned pieces of squash for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Remove skin and mash smooth. Place stock in a saucepan and heat until simmering. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, fry bacon piece until crisp. Remove bacon, leaving grease in the pan. Crumble bacon for use as a garnish and set aside. Add oil and shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 5 minutes over moderately high heat. Stir slowly but constantly. This will "toast" the rice and start to turn it slightly golden and feel loose and dry. You should start to hear the rice "click." Add the wine all at once to the rice and cook over fairly high heat to boil it down. When the rice is almost dry, stir in 1 cup of stock and mashed squash. Simmer until the sock is absorbed. Continue adding stock 1 cup at a time and stirring until rice becomes creamy while the grains remain separate and firm, but not hard in the center of the grain. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and rosemary and stir. Stir in the butter and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Place in individual serving bowls and sprinkle with remaining cheese, crumbled bacon and a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy! Yield: 4 to 6 main course servings
• Hints for success: The pot must be heavy on the bottom to keep the temperature even during the cooking process. Arborio is a short grained rice. It is very starchy, which is necessary to produce the desired result of a creamy risotto. Look for a fat opaque center in the rice, known as "LaPerla," this indicates a good starch content. Wine is the first liquid to be added to the rice. The first liquid will be absorbed totally and the acid in the wine balances the starch and adds flavor.
• Toasting the rice seals in the flavor. There should be about 3 times the amount of stock as rice. Make sure the stock is very hot. The stock is added slowly to the rice and releases the starch gradually, creating a creamy texture. Constant stirring is needed to produce the best results

WINTER SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the broth remains steaming, but is not simmering.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in squash and mushrooms; cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms give off their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, salt, pepper and saffron (if using); cook for 30 seconds. Add rice; stir until translucent, about 1 minute. Add wine (or vermouth) and cook, stirring, until almost absorbed by the rice, about 1 minute.
• Stir in 1/2 cup of the hot broth; reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring after each addition until all the liquid has been absorbed, until the rice is tender and creamy, 30 to 40 minutes total. (You may have some broth left.) Remove from the heat and stir in cheese.

ALFRED'S WINTER-SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• To make the roasted-garlic puree: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the garlic in a small baking dish, and toss with the oil and 1 tablespoon water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil; bake until the garlic is tender (squeeze one of the cloves to check), 25 to 35 minutes. Press garlic out of its skin into a bowl; mash with a fork. Set aside until ready to use.
• To make the spiced butter: Combine the butter, chervil, marjoram, cinnamon, ginger, and reserved garlic puree in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Cover, and set aside at room temperature until ready to use. (You can prepare the butter up to 8 hours in advance, and store, refrigerated, in an airtight container.)
• To make the caramelized squash: In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Place the squash in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add squash to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Cover; cook until tender, about 5 minutes more.
• Add the brown sugar; cook until squash has caramelized but still holds its shape, about 2 minutes. Set aside. (You may prepare the squash up to 1 hour in advance, and store, covered, at room temperature.)
• To prepare the risotto: In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a very low simmer.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add bacon, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add shallots, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes more.
• Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir in the rice, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the rice is coated, has released its starch, turns a milky opaque white, and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine, and boil until completely reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle about 1 cup of the simmering stock into the rice. Cook, stirring often, until the stock has almost been completely absorbed by the rice.
• Continue cooking and stirring, adding another 1 cup stock only when the previous addition has been absorbed. After 15 minutes, begin tasting the rice. At this point, add the remaining stock, a little at a time, stirring between additions, until the rice is firm yet cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Stir in the reserved spiced butter and the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Gently fold in the reserved caramelized squash, keeping the individual pieces as intact as possible. Divide the risotto among warm bowls, and serve immediately.

SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Boil the squash in a pot. You can also steam it.
• Heat the water in a pot and maintain it just below a boil.
• Warm a third pot to medium (last pot, I promise) and add the oil and onion. Coat the onion in oil and cook it until it is translucent, but not browned.
• If using dried thyme, add it now. Otherwise, the fresh thyme can wait until the very end of this whole process. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil. Pour in the wine and stir until it is all absorbed. Add 2 tsp sea salt. Add the heated water to the rice ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
• Use all 3 cups of water for a very creamy risotto, or only 2-2½ cups for a sticky risotto.
• When all the liquid is absorbed, the rice should be soft, but only just cooked (al dente). Then you can stir in the squash.
• Garnish your squash risotto recipe with cracked black pepper and optionally roasted pumpkin seeds for the best meal ever.

SQUASH AND KALE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, saute the onions in 2 teaspoons of the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
• Add more oil, if necessary, to prevent sticking.
• Using a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the grains, add the rice and stir until it is well coated with oil.
• Add the wine, if using.
• When it is absorbed (it won't take long), ladle in 2 1/2 cups of the simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes between each addition, until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
• Add the squash and the kale and stir.
• Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth every few minutes for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until all of the stock has been added and the rice is tender but firm.
• Add the nutmeg, lemon peel, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the cheese, and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!
• Variations:.
• In addition to or in place of kale, add any of the following:.
• chopped Swiss chard, cabbage, radicchio, or fresh fennel, chopped celery, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, green peas, green beans, or even seedless black grapes.
• This is great served with fish or chicken!