Music: Little Miss Queen of Darkness – The Kinks
Here we go! Back to Ina…and the fall. Love me some butternut squash! This was a flavor bomb in my mouth. To be honest, it might have been a little rich and, next time, I would take out half the butter. I’d also remove the bacon after it was cooked and add it back in at the end.
What you’ll need:
1 butternut squash (2 pounds)2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
3 ounces bacon, diced
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon saffron threads 4 sprigs of fresh sage 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender.
- Heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and saute the bacon and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned.
- Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter.
- Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock.
- Continue until the rice is cooked through about 30 minutes total.
- Add sage and cook for 2 minutes.
- Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese.
- Mix well and serve.
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