I love butternut squash, I never really realised it until recently, but I really really love it. Only now since starting this blog have I realised how much of a staple it has become in my kitchen. It's one hell of a versatile veg.
Anyway, this is essentially a recipe I made up, one of those Felicity Cloake style dishes where you take about 10 different recipes and merge them altogether to get one Queen recipe. This is that!
Butternut Squash, Gorgonzola & Sage Risotto
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 large butternut squash, peeled and diced into 2cm squares
1.2 litres vegetable stock
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
300g Risotto rice
150ml white wine
Bunch of sage
50g butter
100g grated parmesan
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.
Carefully cut your butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Chop into equal sized chunks, around 2cm cubes. Put the squash in a roasting tray, toss together with salt, pepper and olive oil. Roast in the oven for around 45 minutes until soft and starting to colour around the edges.
Whilst the squash is in the oven, start preparing everything for your risotto.
In a pan over a medium heat, add a glug of olive oil and the shallots, cook until they have gone soft. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the rice to the shallots and garlic and turn up the heat, the rice will now begin to lightly fry, so keep stirring it. After a minute it will look slightly translucent.
Add the wine and keep stirring.
Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer and slowly add in the rest of the stock, ladle by ladle, being sure most of the liquid has been absorbed before adding anymore.
This will take around 15 minutes. Taste the rice to check if it’s cooked. If not, carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Don’t forget to check the seasoning carefully. If you run out of stock before the rice is cooked, add some boiling water.
Whilst you are cooking the rice, get another pan on the hob and set to medium to low heat, add in the butter and around 15 sage leaves, fry in the butter until the flavours have infused and the sage leaves have turned a deep green (but not turning brown as they will taste bitter). Remove the sage leaves from the butter and set both the butter and the sage aside until later. Finely chop another 5 or so fresh sage leaves and set aside.
By now hopefully your squash will be cooked. Remove from the oven. blend half of it into a puree and reserve the other half for serving later.
When the risotto rice is cooked and the rice is soft, stir in the blended squash, grated parmesan, chopped sage leaves and the melted sage butter and season to taste.
Serve the risotto topped with the left over roasted squash, chunks of gorgonzola and the crispy sage leaves.