Squash & sage risotto

Serves

4 People

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Season

Autumn

Winter

Dietary

Vegetarian

Gluten Free

A delicious and warming classic risotto recipe that can be used for any of our winter squashes over the season! This Risotto is comfort food at its very best. Great topped with either parmesan or Feta cheese.

Ingredients

1 Squash (Such as Uchiki Kuri)
300g Risotto Rice
Bunch of Sage
Salt
Nutmeg
1 Onion
3 Cloves Garlics
1 Stick of Celery
Olive Oil
50g Butter
1 Glass of White Wine
1 litre of Hot Veg Stock
Hard Cheese such as Parmesan or Grana Padano

Method

Step 1.

Pre heat your oven to 180c. First prepare your squash for roasting, cut the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds. No need to peel as we will scoop out the flesh after it’s cooked. Place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and a grating of nutmeg over the top and place a few sage leaves on the squash. Roast in the oven for around 30 mins until the flesh is soft and fully cooked. Leave to cool.

Step 2.

Place your stock on the hob to keep hot. Finely dice the onion, garlic and celery and finely chop around 5 leaves of sage. Heat a suitable pan on the hob with a drizzle of olive oil and half the butter. Add the onion, garlic, celery and sage and then gently sweat for around 5- 10 mins until soft. Add the rice and stir well and fry in the pan for a couple of minutes. Add the wine then stir and cook until absorbed.

Step 3.

Prepare your squash, scooping out the soft cooked centre from the skin and place in a bowl. Set aside a little whole to serve on top. Mash the squash in the bowl until fairly smooth. Add this to the rice.

Step 4.

Now start adding your stock. Have your pan on a low heat and add a couple of ladle full of stock at a time and stir after each addition. When the stock is absorbed add the next ladles of stock. Keep stirring and adding the stock until the rice is just cooked but with a little bite to it, this will take around 30mins.

Step 5.

Once the rice is cooked turn off the heat and add the rest of the butter and a good grating of parmesan and mix well. Taste for seasoning then serve with some more squash on top, parmesan or crumbled feta and a drizzle of good olive oil.