Delicata Squash Risotto Food

DELICATA SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut squash in half and scrape out seeds. Discard seeds or roast them separately as you would with pumpkin seeds.
• Slice squash into 1-inch strips. Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over the squash and toss to coat. Place the squash strips on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 30 minutes.
• While the squash is roasting, heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion and cook until softened and opaque, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and allspice, stir, and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
• Add rice and stir to combine. Continue stirring and cooking until the edges of the rice are translucent and the center is still opaque, about 2 minutes.
• Add wine and stir to combine. Cook until the rice absorbs the wine, stirring occasionally.
• Add warm broth, a ladle at a time, stirring after each addition and occasionally stirring while cooking. Wait to add each ladle of broth until the rice has almost soaked up the last addition.
• Test the rice after you have added about 3 cups of broth to see if it is done. It should be al dente, with just a bit of chew to it and not completely soft or mushy.
• Note the risotto will not taste fully seasoned at this point. It will get saltiness from the parmesan cheese.
• The risotto is ready when it is similar to a thick porridge and have a creamy consistency.
• Add one more ladle of broth, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and parmesan cheese. Stir to combine.
• Cut the roasted squash into bite-sized chunks and gently stir into the risotto. Serve immediately.

SIMPLE SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel the squash and separate the bulbous seed-bearing section from the slender end. Chop the slender end into 2cm cubes, toss in half the oil, season lightly and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and soft in the centre, about 30 mins. Cut the bulb in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon - you can keep these to toast in the oven and sprinkle over salads. Chop the flesh into 2cm pieces. Warm the vegetable stock in a small pan, set over a low heat. Drop in squash and leave to gently poach.
• While the squash is roasting, warm a medium-size frying pan over a gentle heat. Add the remaining olive oil and half the butter, followed by the onion. Cover and cook for 3 mins until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the celery, garlic, herbs and a few turns of pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover again and cook for a further 2 mins. Increase the heat slightly and stir in the rice. Stir, uncovered, for about 5 mins - this will help to develop the toasty aroma of the rice without burning the veg.
• Turn up the heat, stir in the wine and let it bubble away to almost nothing. Reduce the heat and start adding the stock. Add one ladle at a time, stirring gently but constantly during each addition. The idea is to encourage the rice to absorb the liquid and soften, but also give up its starch to thicken the remaining broth. Don't stir too aggressively or you will end up with a pan of mush. When the stock has been absorbed, it's time to add the next ladleful and so on. It will take about 15 mins to reach the final ladle of stock. By this time the squash in the stock should have softened. Mash it up with the remaining stock and stir into the risotto.
• Turn off the heat, dot the top of the risotto with remaining butter and most of the Parmesan, cover, leave to rest for 2 mins, then stir through and check the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the roasted squash and leftover Parmesan on top. Serve with crusty bread and Sautéed spinach (below).

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.