No Butternut Squash?

[OakLeaf]

Soup is great! A stick blender makes it easy to purée soups right in the pot, it's my favorite kitchen appliance. You can use all kinds of different spice combinations in a squash soup. (Just remember to remove any woody spices like bay leaves or cinnamon sticks before puréeing. DAMHIK. )


How about a butternut squash risotto (based on Lorna Sass recipe)? So easy and delicious.

1 small to medium onion or 4 shallots
Olive or grapeseed oil
1-1/2 c arborio or carnaroli rice
3-1/2 to 4 c vegetable stock or water*
1 small to medium butternut squash (1-1/2 lbs or so - although if a squash is not enormous I'll just use the whole thing and have a "squashier" risotto)
Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

Optional: up to 1/2 c grated aged Parmesan cheese
up to 1/4 c freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp dried rubbed sage or 1 tbsp minced fresh sage

Optional garnishes: shaved aged Parmesan cheese
drizzle of aged balsamico
drizzle of peppery or grassy extra virgin olive oil

*Note on stock: A lot of recipes call for chicken stock, and as we are not vegetarian I tried this once with homemade stock. IMO the chicken flavor was overwhelming and I would not do it again. YMMV. You can also substitute 1/2 c dry white wine like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc, for some of the water/stock. If you do this, add the wine first, stir until absorbed, then add the remaining stock and proceed with the recipe.


Scrub squash well, cut it in half and scoop out seeds, cut out any woody skin defects, blossom end and stem end, then cut into roughly 1" cubes. If you use an organic squash, peeling is not necessary. Mince or finely chop onions or shallots.

Heat stock to near boiling on the stovetop or in a glass container in the microwave (optional, but the risotto has a better consistency if the stock is warm when you add it).

Sauté onions or shallots in olive or grapeseed oil in a 4-qt or larger pressure cooker until translucent; do not brown. Reduce heat to medium low, add rice and stir to completely coat with oil. Add a little more oil if needed to thoroughly coat the rice. Stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add 3-1/2 c stock, stir, then place cubed squash on top of the rice. Lock the pressure cooker lid, turn heat to high, bring to high pressure then reduce heat to just low enough to maintain pressure and cook 5 minutes. Release pressure with a quick-release method (run under cold water for a jiggle-top cooker) and remove the lid.

Add salt and pepper and stir to mix. The squash will be creamy; it's up to you whether to fold gently and leave some identifiable squash cubes, or stir it all into a smooth mixture. If the rice seems dry (unlikely), add additional stock or water 1/4 cup at a time, and continue cooking until the rice is al dente, then add optional additions and serve with optional garnishes.