Christmas Risotto Recipe
Ingredients
| One 2 1/2-pound butternut squash (1.1 kg) | ||
| Vegetable stock | 4 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Olive oil | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Ground cumin | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| Cayenne pepper | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| Ground allspice | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| 1/2 onion, peeled and finely chopped | ||
| 1 clove garlic, peeled, mashed and chopped | ||
| Arborio rice | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| White wine | 1 Cup (16 tbs) | |
| Parmesan cheese | 1/2 Cup (16 tbs), grated | |
| Salt | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| Ground black pepper | 1/4 Teaspoon | |
| 1 sweet red bell pepper, finely diced | ||
| Parsley | 1 Tablespoon, finely chopped | |
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Cut off the neck part of the squash.
Trim off the stem and then cut the neck into 4 slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick— about 1 pound (454 gm).
Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, turn and bake 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven.
Set aside and keep warm.
The rest of the squash is cut in half, peeled, seeded and diced small—about 1 pound (454 gm) of diced squash.
Heat the vegetable stock in a medium-sized saucepan and keep warm.
In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, cayenne and allspice.
Pour the oil into a large saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of the spice mixture and stir well.
Add the diced squash, stir well, cover and cook 5 minutes.
Pour in 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the warm stock and cook 5 more minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain the squash juices through a sieve into the saucepan with the vegetable stock.
Return the vegetables to their original saucepan.
Add the rice to the squash and shake together, to avoid stirring and breaking the squash pieces.
Pour in the wine and 1 cup (236 ml) of the warm stock.
Stir carefully and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.
Continue adding the stock, cooking and stirring, until you've used all the stock—about 30 minutes.
Stir in the remaining spice mixture, the cheese, salt and pepper.
Fold in the red pepper and parsley stalks.
To Serve: Peel the skin off of the baked squash neck slices.
Place 1 slice on each plate and partially cover with the risotto, leaving half the slice exposed.
Cut off the neck part of the squash.
Trim off the stem and then cut the neck into 4 slices 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick— about 1 pound (454 gm).
Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, turn and bake 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven.
Set aside and keep warm.
The rest of the squash is cut in half, peeled, seeded and diced small—about 1 pound (454 gm) of diced squash.
Heat the vegetable stock in a medium-sized saucepan and keep warm.
In a small bowl, mix together the cumin, cayenne and allspice.
Pour the oil into a large saucepan over medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 3 minutes.
Add 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) of the spice mixture and stir well.
Add the diced squash, stir well, cover and cook 5 minutes.
Pour in 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the warm stock and cook 5 more minutes.
Remove from the heat and strain the squash juices through a sieve into the saucepan with the vegetable stock.
Return the vegetables to their original saucepan.
Add the rice to the squash and shake together, to avoid stirring and breaking the squash pieces.
Pour in the wine and 1 cup (236 ml) of the warm stock.
Stir carefully and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed.
Continue adding the stock, cooking and stirring, until you've used all the stock—about 30 minutes.
Stir in the remaining spice mixture, the cheese, salt and pepper.
Fold in the red pepper and parsley stalks.
To Serve: Peel the skin off of the baked squash neck slices.
Place 1 slice on each plate and partially cover with the risotto, leaving half the slice exposed.
Chef
