Winter Squash Risotto with Sage and Parmesan

I went to my vegetarian sister's for dinner last night. She made a simple spinach salad with tangerine slices, chopped pecans and a lemon, extra virgin olive oil dressing and this Winter Squash Risotto. Was a great meal. The risotto is a recipe from Jack Bishop's "A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen" cookbook. This is an interesting cookbook that breaks the recipes down by the season. A great way to look at cooking actually....using the ingredients that would be available at that time of year were we not to have hot houses for growing veggies...She had giving me a copy of this book and I have looked through it, but now I will have to seriously try some of the other dishes...the 1st will be the Orange Risotto Cakes with Pistachio Crust (a great way to use any left over risotto the next day)



Winter Squash Risotto with Sage and Parmesan

2 1/2 lbs. winter squash (butternut is a great choice), halved and seeded
reserve the seeds/scrapings
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, 1 tbsp melted
sea salt or kosher
fresh ground white pepper
1 quart organic vegetable stock
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3/4 cup dry white wine (I sometimes use 1/2 cup apple juice and 1/4 cup water mixed, if
I don't have any wine or someone can't drink alcohol)
1 cup parmesan cheese, plus more for the table
1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
freshly grated nutmeg

Heat oven to 450 degrees, with rack in the middle. Place squash ona baking sheet cut side up. Brush flesh with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until tender (about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. When cool, scrape flesh into bowl and lightly mash. (should get 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cups approx).

Meanwhile, place the seeds/scrappings into a medium saucepan. Add vegetable broth and 1/2 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the flavour has been extracted from the squash seeds/scrappings (about 20 minutes). Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, pressing on the suash scappings to extract as much liquid as possible. Return broth to the unwashed saucepan along with enough water (preferably filtered) to make 6 cups. (You may need to add as much as 2 cups of filtered water.) Bring broth to a simmer. Turn off heat and cover to keep broth warm.

Heat 1 tbsp of remaining butter and the oil in a heavy bottomed medium saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, add rice and cook for 1 minute (ensure all the rice grains are coated with oil/butter). A wine and cook, stirring often, until the wine nearly evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add 1 ladle of broth and cook, stirring frequently, until the rice absorbs the liquid. Continue adding a ladle at a time, stirring frequently until the rice is creamy (not soupy) and soft but still a little al dente. (This takrs about 25 minutes and you probably won't use all the broth)

Remove saucepan from heat and stir in the squash, cheese, sage and remaining 1 tbsp of butter. Keep stirring with wooden spoon until butter melts (about 1 minute. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Serve immediately. Spinkle plated risotto with a bit more parmesan cheese.