Risotto, is puffed rice from Italy that slowly bathes in broth. Stir up your winter palate with a butternut squash risotto for a rich, filling, delightful dish.

6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cups homemade chicken broth or frozen chicken bone broth from the market
• 3 cups water
• 3 TBS (separated) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 finely chopped medium onion
• 8 fresh sage leaves finely chopped
• 2 cups of risotto or arborio rice
• ½ cup of white wine
• *1 pound of butternut squash
• ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
• 12 fresh whole sage leaves
• salt and pepper

* Feel free to use these other winter squashes: acorn, buttercup, banana, or kabocha.

Instructions:

1. Combine chicken broth and water and put in a pot. Heat up until it’s hot but not boiling. Turn off the burner when the broth is hot and set aside.
2. Cut the ends of squash, then cut horizontally. Place squash flesh side down on a cutting board. Use heavy, sharp knife to thinly remove the skin going from the top to bottom of squash for both halves. Vertically cut each half, and use a spoon to scrape out seeds. Cut squash into small pieces.
3. In a separate pot, turn heat medium-high for about 45 seconds. Turn heat to medium and pour 1 tablespoon olive oil; after 20-30 seconds, add onions and chopped sage leaves to pot, sauté for 3-5 minutes (lower temperature if necessary) until onions start to softens.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then put risotto into the pot and stir for a few minutes (adjust temperature if necessary) or until it looks bright white. Pour wine into risotto mixture and turn up the heat (if necessary) so the liquid is simmering. When liquid is absorbed, put in the last tablespoon of oil then add squash into the pot. Stir for a few minutes.
5. Gradually pour in hot/warm broth so risotto is mostly covered. Turn up burner so broth is simmering, and stir all ingredients a few times. Lower temperature so risotto is gently simmering. When broth is mostly evaporated, keep covering risotto with more broth. It should take about 20-30 minutes until all your broth has been fully transferred into the risotto pot and the squash is fully cooked.
6. Before risotto is fully cooked, take a small frying pan and put heat on high for about 30 seconds; add a layer of oil (vegetable, canola, safflower, or grapeseed) on high heat for 20-30 seconds in the frying pan. Allow about a minute or so for it to sizzle. Fry up sage leaves in batches (a few at a time). Fry up until it becomes crispy. Pat dry on a paper towel and set aside.
7. Turn off the burner for risotto when done and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and crumbled fried, sage leaves. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste and thoroughly mix together.  

Reheating Leftovers

Leftovers will last for up to 4 days. Heat the pot on medium-low for less than a minute. Pour in a small amount of water or very diluted broth and the portion of risotto you want to eat. Stir when needed and it should be ready in about 5-10 minutes. Top with some parmesan cheese.

Pairing butternut squash with risotto is a perfect partnership of ingredients, so prepare for the winter by soaking up the warmth with some simple, sophisticated comfort food.