Butternut squash and gorgonzola risotto

Posted by Dana McMahan on April 17, 2008

This was the first risotto dish my husband and I ever made when we first became really interested in cooking. I saw a gorgeous photo of it in Oprah magazine a few years ago, and we made it to take to a party. Despite the hour in the car the risotto was a hit at the party. We've made it many times since, and have played around with the recipe quite a bit. Here's how we made it tonight (if we'd had garlic on hand I would have definitely added garlic in with the onions:

4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1 medium butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons butter
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup crumbled strong Gorgonzola (or you can use blue cheese)
1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Roast the squash in a 350 degree oven for about half an hour, until it's fairly soft.

Meanwhile, heat stock in a saucepan.

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium-high flame, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion. Sauté for a couple minutes or until soft, stirring constantly. Add the rice; stir until well coated, about 1 minute. Lower the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup hot stock. Stir with a wooden spoon until the liquid absorbs (but don't the rice stick). Continue adding stock and stirring for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

Remove from heat; add the rosemary, and most of the cheese. Salt and pepper to taste and stir. Place risotto in a serving bowl and top with the rest of the Gorgonzola, the hazelnuts and a few sprigsof rosemary for garnish.

TAGS: Butternut Squash, Risotto, Rosemary
POST TOOLS: