Squash Golden Onion Risotto Recipes

Steps:

• Boil the squash in a pot. You can also steam it.
• Heat the water in a pot and maintain it just below a boil.
• Warm a third pot to medium (last pot, I promise) and add the oil and onion. Coat the onion in oil and cook it until it is translucent, but not browned.
• If using dried thyme, add it now. Otherwise, the fresh thyme can wait until the very end of this whole process. Add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil. Pour in the wine and stir until it is all absorbed. Add 2 tsp sea salt. Add the heated water to the rice ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
• Use all 3 cups of water for a very creamy risotto, or only 2-2½ cups for a sticky risotto.
• When all the liquid is absorbed, the rice should be soft, but only just cooked (al dente). Then you can stir in the squash.
• Garnish your squash risotto recipe with cracked black pepper and optionally roasted pumpkin seeds for the best meal ever.

Steps:

• Break down the squash. Cut the stem end off the squash, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Slice in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and stringy pulp from one half. Reserve the other half for another use. Slice the squash lengthwise about 1/2 inch thick, then slice crosswise into 1/2-inch cubes.
• Cook the squash. Bring the stock to a boil in a saucepan, then reduce the heat and keep at a simmer. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the squash; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 15 more minutes. Use a wooden spoon to partially mash the squash, pressing it against the side of the pan.
• Make the risotto. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Add a ladleful of hot stock to the rice and cook, stirring, until absorbed. (Don't add too much stock at once, and make sure it is hot; otherwise, it will stop the cooking process.) Continue adding stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring until absorbed before adding more.
• About halfway through, add more salt and pepper to taste. The entire cooking process takes about 20 minutes; start tasting for doneness after about 15 minutes. If you've used all of the stock and the rice is not yet al dente, heat a few cups of water and add ladlefuls as you did with the stock until the dish is done. The risotto is done when you can drag the spoon through the center of the pan and make a clean line in the rice for a few seconds. Season with more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
• Serve the risotto. Transfer to serving bowls or a platter and top with Parmesan and parsley. Never leave finished risotto in the pan-it will keep cooking into a mush.

Steps:

• Boil the kettle. Put the squash in a heatproof bowl, add a splash of water and cover with cling film. Microwave on High for 8-10 mins or until the squash is tender. Meanwhile, crumble the stock cubes into a pan, add 1.2 litres hot water from the kettle and set over a low heat to simmer gently.
• Heat the oil in a large, high-sided frying pan. Add the sausage meatballs and roll them around in the pan for 5-10 mins until browned all over and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the onion and sizzle gently for 5 mins, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more, stirring to prevent it from burning. Stir in the thyme, turmeric and risotto rice for 1 min, coating the rice in the oil from the pan. Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring well every 1-2 mins until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
• Mash half the squash and add to the pan along with the sausage meatballs and Parmesan. Stir, then top with the remaining squash, cover with a lid and leave for 2 mins. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable stock to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick, saute the onions in 2 teaspoons of the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened but not browned.
• Add more oil, if necessary, to prevent sticking.
• Using a wooden spoon to avoid breaking the grains, add the rice and stir until it is well coated with oil.
• Add the wine, if using.
• When it is absorbed (it won't take long), ladle in 2 1/2 cups of the simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes between each addition, until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
• Add the squash and the kale and stir.
• Continue adding 1/2 cup of broth every few minutes for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until all of the stock has been added and the rice is tender but firm.
• Add the nutmeg, lemon peel, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the cheese, and serve immediately.
• Enjoy!
• Variations:.
• In addition to or in place of kale, add any of the following:.
• chopped Swiss chard, cabbage, radicchio, or fresh fennel, chopped celery, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, green peas, green beans, or even seedless black grapes.
• This is great served with fish or chicken!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Peel the squash and separate the bulbous seed-bearing section from the slender end. Chop the slender end into 2cm cubes, toss in half the oil, season lightly and roast in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden brown on the outside and soft in the centre, about 30 mins. Cut the bulb in half and scrape out the seeds with a spoon - you can keep these to toast in the oven and sprinkle over salads. Chop the flesh into 2cm pieces. Warm the vegetable stock in a small pan, set over a low heat. Drop in squash and leave to gently poach.
• While the squash is roasting, warm a medium-size frying pan over a gentle heat. Add the remaining olive oil and half the butter, followed by the onion. Cover and cook for 3 mins until the onion turns translucent. Stir in the celery, garlic, herbs and a few turns of pepper (no salt at this stage). Cover again and cook for a further 2 mins. Increase the heat slightly and stir in the rice. Stir, uncovered, for about 5 mins - this will help to develop the toasty aroma of the rice without burning the veg.
• Turn up the heat, stir in the wine and let it bubble away to almost nothing. Reduce the heat and start adding the stock. Add one ladle at a time, stirring gently but constantly during each addition. The idea is to encourage the rice to absorb the liquid and soften, but also give up its starch to thicken the remaining broth. Don't stir too aggressively or you will end up with a pan of mush. When the stock has been absorbed, it's time to add the next ladleful and so on. It will take about 15 mins to reach the final ladle of stock. By this time the squash in the stock should have softened. Mash it up with the remaining stock and stir into the risotto.
• Turn off the heat, dot the top of the risotto with remaining butter and most of the Parmesan, cover, leave to rest for 2 mins, then stir through and check the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and sprinkle the roasted squash and leftover Parmesan on top. Serve with crusty bread and Sautéed spinach (below).