Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto and I didn’t make friends right away. I think it was the first recipe I tried – it involved a lot of cheese and butter. So much, in fact, that it was overwhelmingly rich (and it takes a lot to overwhelm me). I’m going to blame my overly high expectations on my favorite television show, Gilmore Girls.There’s an episode wherein Sookie St. James makes her “magic risotto” for a food critic, and he doesn’t like it, but her risotto is so legendary that no one can understand the critic’s response (turns out he drank the wrong wine with it). Anyway, I was expecting to fall head over heels in love with my own risotto (pronounced riz-oh-toe). I was disappointed to discover it was the opposite. A whole year went by before I dared to make a second date with risotto.

Last month, I visited my sister in Oklahoma City, and of course I took the opportunity to rifle through her recipe box. It was there that I found a recipe clipping from a magazine for Butternut Squash Risotto.

Now, I love butternut squash almost as much as I love pumpkin…but not quite. So when I saw this recipe, it was the butternut squash that made me pause. I read it through, noticing there was a lot less cheese involved. And a lot less butter. And did I mention it involved butternut squash? And that I love butternut squash?

I copied it down and stashed it in my suitcase.

The next week, I braced myself for another failed attempt to love risotto, and got out my saute pan. I think that episode of Gilmore Girls was still playing in the back of my mind, conjuring hope. How, after all, could chef Sookie St. James be wrong? The fictional character part notwithstanding, of course.

If you don’t happen to be familiar with risotto, here’s what it is in general terms: arborio rice, a short-grain variety, toasted in oil and then cooked over high heat in stock and sherry with butter, cheese, and seasonings added at the end. The cooking process is long and requires constant minding, as you add the stock one cup at a time, stirring continually until it has absorbed into the rice grains and evaporated. The rice grains grow plump and tender, emitting their starch, which mixes with the stock and wine to form a creamy sauce. It takes about 45 minutes to cook a really great pan of risotto. (Notice I said “really great.” Do you sense the love coming?)

The smell rising from the pan as the risotto simmered away vigorously on the stove was tantalizing, but that had been the case the first time, so I discounted it as any kind of indicator. I waited for the first taste before making a judgment call. (And yes, I had a backup side dish in the oven.)

When it was finished, thick and creamy and aromatic, and dotted with tender chunks of sweet butternut squash, I took a bite.

Oh. My.

Heaven.

My conclusion in hindsight is that the first version I tried was a much-richer-than-normal risotto. I’m over it now.

The recipe below could be made without the squash for a perfectly delicious basic risotto fit to accompany any meat, chicken, or fish main course at any time of year. But if it’s autumn in your part of the world, trust me and add the squash.

Butternut Squash Risotto


2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
3 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
3-4 cups chicken stock (I make my own, but you can use store-bought) or vegetable stock, if you prefer
1/2 cup pale dry sherry (the real stuff, not “cooking sherry”)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmigiano reggiano
1 teaspoon sea salt
dash freshly ground pepper

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, saute the squash and onion in olive oil for a few minutes, until they begin to get tender.

Add the arborio rice and cook 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice begins to brown and smell a little toasted.

Turn the heat to high and add one cup chicken stock. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock is dissolved.

Repeat with the remaining 2-3 cups of chicken stock until rice is plump and tender.

Add the sherry and cook, stirring constantly, until dissolved.

Remove from heat. Stir in the butter, cheese, salt, and pepper. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired. Add more butter and cheese if you like.

Serve immediately. Goes especially well with roast chicken.