Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Butternut Squash Risotto


I usually steer clear of risotto. My kids are 4 and 6 and the likely hood that I would get interrupted while standing at the stove stirring risotto is high. I saw Rachael Ray make this risotto a couple of years ago and she just made me feel like I could do this and have with great success in the past. Our well established routine is the kids get their TV time while I make dinner – I realized this set me up well for risotto making. It worked great!

Tuesday Menu – Pesto Salmon, Butternut Squash Risotto
Farm Share Produce – Pesto (frozen from the summer), Butternut Squash

Butternut Squash Risotto
Based on http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/butternut-squash-risotto-recipe2/index.html

10 oz. cubed, cooked Butternut Squash
- See http://purplecook.blogspot.com/2011/01/butternut-squash.html
1 quart chicken stock
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cup Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
½ t allspice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 T butter
2 t pesto
1 cup Parmesan cheese

Puree Butternut Squash with immersion blender or food processor, set aside.

In a Dutch oven over medium high heat, heat oil. Add onions and garlic and soften 2 – 3 minutes. Add rice and toast 2-3 minutes. Add wine and cook it out completely, stirring occasionally, 2 -3 minutes. Ladle in stock in intervals, a couple of ladles at a time. Allow liquid to evaporate each time, stirring often. Risotto will cook 18 minutes from the addition of the first liquid. Stir the squash in when there are 3-5 minutes left of risotto cooking time. Season with allspice, salt and pepper. In the last minute of cooking time stir in butter, pesto, and cheese.



Pesto Salmon

4 T pesto
2 salmon fillets

Season salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Spread 2 T of pesto on each fillet. Put fillets on George Foreman Grill for 8 minutes.

NOTE: I don’t freeze my pesto with nuts or cheese. So the pesto I put on the salmon was only basil, oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a sauce pot, then reduce heat to low.

No comments:

Post a Comment