The Humble Butternut Squash

Fall reminds me of the final harvest of the garden before she was laid to rest for the winter.  We harvested all those fruits and vegetables that reach their peak of flavor with the kiss of the first frost.  We always grew many different kinds of squash and pumpkins.  There were Blue Hubbard, Acorns, Orange Hubbard, Pumpkins and the humble Butternut Squash.  With a garden that we thought was at least a full acre as children, the wheelbarrow was filled several times and shuttled to the barn for safe keeping through the fall and winter.

During this time of year I purchase several of these staple fruits and make dishes that highlight that sweet caramelized flavor that is so comforting in this season.

On Friday night I decided to make a Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sausage.  I share this healthy recipe with you so that you can give it a try yourselves.  For those of you who think Risotto is an exhausting undertaking, I suggest you consider it a little bit of relaxation after an intense day at the office.  The 20-25 minutes of rhythmic focus reminds me of the whirling dervish in Turkey.  I personally like to use the Carnaroli variety of rice as it remains nutty and the grains individual as opposed to the Arborio rice which gets very creamy.  I roast the butternut squash in advance by peeling one squash and cleaning out the seeds and stringy pulp. Then I chop it into 1" cubes and toss the raw cubes with olive oil and salt and pepper.  Lay the chunks on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the pieces are soft and golden.  Reserve the squash aside in a container in the fridge or if you're roasting the squash just before you make your risotto put it to the side in a bowl.

Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sausage


Ingredients


1 Lb. of Arborio, Vialone Nano or Carnaroli Rice (Depending on your preference)
1 yellow onion chopped into 1/8 dice
3-4 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup of white wine (Your choice)
1-2 quarts of stock (Chicken or Vegetable) heated in a saucepan to a simmer.
1 roasted Butternut Squash in chunks
Pinch of Saffron
1 Lb of loose browned Sausage of your choice (chicken or pork with the casing removed) Optional
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Your favorite wooden spoon or rubber spoonula
1 ladle of approximately 8 ounces
2 tablespoons of butter
Grated Parmesano Reggiano cheese to taste (Optional)

Method


In a heavy 4 quart saucepan add the two tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium high heat before adding the onions and garlic.  Saute the onions and garlic until translucent.  Add the dry rice to the onions and garlic and saute until all the grains of rice are coated with oil and you can hear them sizzle.  Do not brown the rice.  Add the white wine and stir until the wine is taken up by the rice. Add a ladle of the hot stock to the rice and stir constantly until the stock is soaked up by the rice.  Continue the hot stock additions and stirring constantly to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.   After about 5 additions of stock add the roasted butternut squash and browned sausage and stir into the rice.  Continue to add hot stock to the rice, sausage and squash and stirring between additions of stock until the rice is to the perfect consistency.  There is only one way to check for doneness, you must continually taste the rice as your cooking it.  The rice should be tender to the tooth with no hardness left.  You will note that the squash has contributed to the creaminess of the risotto and is golden orange throughout.  Once the rice is to your liking, add the butter and stir to incorporate and add the cheese if that suits you.  I personally feel the cheese takes away from the flavor of the squash.

it is important to remember that Risotto waits for no one, so make sure that your table is set and everyone is ready to eat when you are complete as the rice will begin to get thicker as it sits and cools.  Serve on a hot plate to keep the rice hot through the meal.  It's simple to just put your plates in the microwave for 1-2 minutes before serving.

Leftovers


One of my favorite things to make with leftover risotto is crispy risotto cakes.  Simply form about 3-4 tablespoons of risotto into a 3" disc about 1/4" thick and drop these into a pan with a few tablespoons of hot oil and cook until crispy and brown on both sides.  Don't try to flip the cakes until they are completely browned as they will fall apart and you will end up with fried risotto rice.  Serve on a bed of salad greens with a light vinaigrette or for breakfast with eggs.