Winter Squash Risotto

Ingredients
1 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into ¹⁄₄-inch dice
1-2 cups winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into ¹⁄₄-inch dice (I have used buttercup and acorn squashes both with success.)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¹⁄₂ cups arborio rice
¹⁄₂ cup white wine
5-8 cups chicken broth, heated
4 tablespoons butter
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.  Add the onion and squash and cook until the onion is softened but not browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the rice and stir until toasted and opaque, about 3 to 4 more minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for another minute.  

2.  Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed.  Continue stirring and start adding the broth, ¹⁄₂ cup at a time, and stir until the liquid is absorbed before adding more.  Continue this until the rice is tender and creamy, about 18 to 20 minutes.  

3. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter and Parmesan and stir until well mixed.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.  

Comments
This recipe originally came to me from Mario Batali’s Molto Italiano.  Every recipe I’ve made of his has been excellent and this is no exception.  It’s a great way to use up winter squash this time of year.  The original recipe calls for acorn squash which is how I made it the first few times but, this time, I had a buttercup squash that looked about the right size so I used it.  The taste was great and the rice turns a lovely, rich, pumpkin colour.  

One thing that I do need to be careful of these days is the salt content when I’m cooking with chicken broth.  I’ve switched to the “no salt” version of Kitchen Basics’s broths and, for dishes like this, it means I need to remember to add a little extra salt at the end to get the correct flavor.  

Shown here with Grilled Flank Steak.

Molto Italiano