Butternut Squash Risotto

Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Time: 15 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups peeled and seeded butternut squash, cut into ¼” dice  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil   
• 4 to 5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock, more if needed  
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided  
• 1 small white onion, cut in ¼” dice, about 1/2 cup  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 1⁄2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice 
• 2 teaspoons finely minced fresh sage 
• 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley 
• 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese  
• 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley 
• Kosher salt, to taste  
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste  

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Place a GreenPan Valencia Pro Everyday Pan on the stovetop over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil and allow it to come to temperature until shimmering.  Add in the butternut squash and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the squash is nicely golden brown in places and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Reserve 2 cups of the cooked squash in a bowl.  Smash or puree the remaining 1 cup, adding a bit of water if needed, and reserve in a separate bowl. 

2. In a medium GreenPan saucepan, bring the stock to a very light simmer and keep warm.   

3. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the Everyday Pan over medium heat, add the onion, and season lightly with salt.  Cook, stirring regularly, until the onion is softened.  Stir in the garlic and cook another minute or two more until very fragrant. Add the rice to the pan and cook for a few minutes (this is called toasting the rice), stirring regularly, until the outside of the rice becomes slightly more transparent, then add in just enough stock to cover the rice. 

4. Adjust the heat so the stock and rice are lightly simmering.  Cook, stirring regularly, until the stock has reduced enough for the rice to begin to show above the surface. Stir in the sage, then add enough stock to cover the rice again. Continue to cook, stirring regularly until the rice begins to show once more. Repeat this process until the rice is just cooked through – it should be soft all the way through, but with some texture remaining, not mushy. This should take around 20 to 30 minutes, depending on your exact heat. (During the cooking process, if you’re running low, add more stock or even water to the saucepan to get hot.) 

5. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the mashed squash.  Gently fold in the diced squash, remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, and the parmesan cheese.  Adjust the consistency of the risotto by stirring in enough stock so that when you drag a silicone spatula or spoon on the bottom of the pan you can see the bottom, but that the rice flows back together in just a second or two. If the rice flows back faster than that, cook longer to reduce the liquid.  If it flows back slower, add a bit more stock.  Stir in the fresh parsley, then taste and adjust with salt and pepper.  Serve warm immediately.  

TIPS:

In a pinch, a few other short grained rice varieties can be used to make risotto, but it’s worth seeking out the traditional Italian varieties listed above (or a few others) as it results in the perfect creamy sauce while having the right texture on the cooked rice.   

Along with Parmesan, Pecorino is a cheese we love in risotto!  And if you love cheese, feel free to add more!  Just plan to add more stock afterwards to achieve that perfect flow to your finished dish.