Butternut Squash Risotto With Spinach And Toasted Pine Nuts Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place squash cubes into a steamer basket in a saucepan. Add water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Allow to steam until the squash is tender (10 to 15 minutes), then drain, and mash in a bowl with a fork.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir for 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking and stirring until the rice is glossy from the butter, and the onion begins to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes more.
• Pour in the white wine; cook, stirring constantly, until it has evaporated. Stir in the mashed squash and 1/3 of the hot chicken stock; reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir until the chicken stock has been absorbed by the rice, 5 to 7 minutes. Add half of the remaining chicken stock, and continue stirring until it has been absorbed. Finally, pour in the remaining stock, and continue stirring until the risotto is creamy. Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the butter and half the oil in a frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry for 8-10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Add the rice and fry for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until it is coated in the oil.
• Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly until the wine is just simmering, then cook until two-thirds of the wine has evaporated.
• Add a ladleful of the warm stock to the pan and return to a simmer, reducing the heat if the liquid starts to bubble too fiercely, to prevent the rice from cooking too quickly. When most of the stock has evaporated, add another ladleful. Cook the risotto in this way for 12-15 minutes, or until most of the stock has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is tender but has a slight bite.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry and the butternut squash for 10-12 minutes, turning regularly, until tender and golden-brown all over.
• Stir the sage, butternut squash, Parmesan and mozzarella into the risotto. Turn the heat off, leave the pan on the heat, and let the cheese melt. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat a dry frying pan over a medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast for 1-2 minutes, until just golden-brown. Stir them into the risotto and serve.

BAKED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt butter in olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven (or large oven proof heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid). Turn heat to medium high and add mushrooms and shallots. Saute for 5 minutes. Add rice and garlic and continue to cook for 3 minutes while stirring.
• Add 4 1/2 cups warm chicken stock, squash, chicken bouillon, salt, oregano, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
• While rice is cooking, toast pine nuts. Add pine nuts to a dry skillet and heat over medium heat. Toast until golden, watching closely so they don't burn. Transfer to a bowl so they don't continue to cook.
• When rice is tender, remove from oven and stir in remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock, heavy cream and cheeses. Stir vigorously to break down the squash until smooth. Stir in peas and heat through.
• Garnish with pine nuts, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste if desired.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH SPINACH AND TOASTED PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add about 3 1/2 cups squash in even layer and cook without stirring until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer squash to bowl and set aside.
• Return skillet to medium heat; add reserved squash fibers and seeds and any leftover diced squash. Cook, stirring frequently to break up fibers, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer to large saucepan and add vegetable broth and water; cover saucepan and bring mixture to simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain bare simmer.
• While broth mixture is simmering, add 1 teaspoon olive oil to now-empty skillet and swirl to coat. Add 4 ounces baby spinach and cook, covered, over medium heat, until leaves begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until fully wilted, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
• Melt 3 tablespoons butter (or margarine) in now-empty skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add onions, garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add rice to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, strain hot broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Return strained broth to saucepan and discard solids in strainer; cover saucepan and set over low heat to keep broth hot.
• When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups hot broth and half of reserved squash to rice. Simmer, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 minutes.
• Stir in about 1/2 cup hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 minutes; repeat with additional broth 2 or 3 more times, until rice is al dente. Turn off the heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter/margarine, Parmesan, sage, and nutmeg; drain excess liquid from spinach and gently fold in spinach and remaining cooked squash. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto. Top individual servings of risotto with toasted pine nuts; serve immediately.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast until golden and caramelized at the edges, stirring at least once, 40 to 55 minutes. Let cool.
• Bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and maintain at a bare simmer.
• Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons oil in a large, high-sided, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic; cook just until it releases its fragrance, about 30 seconds, then add the rice and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and cook until almost completely evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add a ladleful of stock; cook, stirring constantly, until almost completely absorbed. Add another ladleful; again, cook, stirring, until almost fully absorbed. Continue in this manner until the rice is creamy and al dente (tender but still firm to the bite), about 40 minutes--you may or may not use all the stock.
• Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the Parmesan if using and the squash, reserving some cubes for garnish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with the reserved squash cubes.