Squash Risotto

I haven't completely forgotten about blogging, I promise! Our camera broke, and so, I had to buy a new one. I'm now a proud owner of a new Canon XS -- an entry-level digital XLR. I hope my photography will improve from now on!

Today's food post is about some squash risotto we made a couple of weeks ago now. I admit, squash in the spring is a bit odd. We have a biweekly delivery of assorted organic produce to our doorstep from Boston Organics. It's a great service, especially in the fall and winter when the farmer's markets are no longer open in this area. In any case, in our deliveries, we get a random assortment of whatever produce happens to be available that week. And, a couple of weeks ago, we got an acorn squash.


I don't usually like squash. It's a textural thing. I don't like it when its baked and it gets stringy and mushy. But, let me tell you -- I LOOOOOVED this risotto. It was so delicious, I couldn't stop eating it.

I think the trick with this recipe is cutting the squash up in 1/2" cubes and browning them, instead of roasting and pureeing the squash. At least for me, that's what made the squash wonderfully crisp on the outside and slightly soft on the inside, but not pureed and stringy.

Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto
Adapted from Everyday Food, October 2004

Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people)

• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 lbs. squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2" chunks
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• Coarse salt and pepper
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups of water and/or broth (I used 1 box of vegetable stock and added enough water to make 4 cups. You could also use chicken stock, or just plain water.)
• 1/3 cup of grated Parmesean cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped sage (thyme might also be nice, if you don't have sage)

In a small saucepan, heat the water/broth until it is simmering. At the same time, melt the butter in a medium saucepan or a large, flat pan with high sides, over medium-high heat. Add the squash and onion and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is carmelized and the edges of the squash have softened, about 8 minutes. Add the brown sugar about halfway through -- it will help things carmelize.

Add the rice, stir to coat and cook for a minute or so, until the rice becomes white. Add the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 1-2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add 1/2 cup of the hot broth mixture (I just used a big ladle and ladled about 1 ladle full of broth into the pan). Cook, stirring until the broth has absorbed. Continue adding broth, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the liquid has absorbed until all the broth has been incorporated. This will take about 35-40 minutes.

Stir in parmesean and sage and season with salt and pepper. Serve with additional Parmesean sprinkled on top.