Serves 4
For this recipe, you will need:
Garlic Butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup roasted garlic puree
Caramelized Squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
To taste salt
To taste ground black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Risotto
2 quarts double-strength chicken stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ounces maple-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup minced onion
1 pound Arborio rice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
To taste salt
To taste ground black pepper
Cooking directions:
1) To make the Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup garlic puree into a smooth paste. Set aside.
2) To make the Caramelized Squash: In a sauté pan with a lid, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the squash cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover and cook over medium-low until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook until the squash is caramelized, but still holding its shape, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
3) To make the Risotto: Bring the stock to a boil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting in order to keep the stock simmering very gently.
4) Heat a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
5) Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
6) Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the rice, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated with the oil, turns a milky opaque white, and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, 7 to 10 minutes.
7) Add the wine, stir, and cook until the wine is completely reduced.
8) Ladle about 1 cup of simmering stock into the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock is almost completely absorbed by the rice. Continue cooking and stirring, adding more stock in 1-cup increments, only after the previous addition of stock has been absorbed.
9) After 15 minutes, begin tasting the rice. It should be firm, yet cooked through, in 18 to 20 minutes total cooking time. You may not need to use all of the stock.
10) Stir in the reserved garlic butter and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the caramelized squash, keeping the cubes as intact as possible. Taste, and if necessary, correct the seasoning. Serve immediately.
For this recipe, you will need:
Garlic Butter
Caramelized Squash
Risotto
Cooking directions:
1) To make the Garlic Butter: In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the 1/2 cup butter and 1/4 cup garlic puree into a smooth paste. Set aside.
2) To make the Caramelized Squash: In a sauté pan with a lid, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the squash cubes and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nicely browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover and cook over medium-low until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar and cook until the squash is caramelized, but still holding its shape, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
3) To make the Risotto: Bring the stock to a boil in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting in order to keep the stock simmering very gently.
4) Heat a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
5) Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes.
6) Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in the rice, sage, and thyme. Cook, stirring constantly, until the rice is coated with the oil, turns a milky opaque white, and begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, 7 to 10 minutes.
7) Add the wine, stir, and cook until the wine is completely reduced.
8) Ladle about 1 cup of simmering stock into the rice. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock is almost completely absorbed by the rice. Continue cooking and stirring, adding more stock in 1-cup increments, only after the previous addition of stock has been absorbed.
9) After 15 minutes, begin tasting the rice. It should be firm, yet cooked through, in 18 to 20 minutes total cooking time. You may not need to use all of the stock.
10) Stir in the reserved garlic butter and parsley and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the caramelized squash, keeping the cubes as intact as possible. Taste, and if necessary, correct the seasoning. Serve immediately.
