November 2015

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH CRISPY BRUSSELS SPROUT LEAVES AND PINE NUTS

Serves 4 hungry hippos

1 Large Butternut Squash Peeled, Seeded
Dice 1 1/2 cups small dice
Chop the rest medium dice
10 Sage leaves whole
1 onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, fine dice
2 Cups Arborio Rice
1 cup white wine, drinkable white wine
10 cups stock, your choice, I like Better than Bouillon Veg base if you don't make your own
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, or Asiago. Chefs Choice!
 2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper

Roughly 24 medium sized Brussels Sprouts
Split in half, cut out core and tear off leaves as much as possible
1 lemon, zest first and reserve for later
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

1 small bag Pine Nuts
lightly toasted


Ready Set, Risotto!

• Tip: Once the rice begins cooking you will need to be standing and stirring fairly constantly for the next 30 minutes or so. Make sure to have your other prep ready and pour yourself a beverage because it will take time, but comes together quickly at the end. 
• Tip: Control the amount of salt in your stock. If it is salty then season sparingly throughout the rest of the dish. Taste as you go!

1. Warm stock on med/low heat, add medium diced squash and sage. Let simmer 30 minutes or until squash is tender. Remove sage and discard. Remove squash and 1 cup stock to separate dish. Puree until smooth. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Let that stand at room temp, we will add it later. Keep your squash/sage scented stock on low. 
2. Set oven to 500 degrees. Prep your Brussels Sprouts. Once peeled apart, spread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt pepper and lemon zest. Toss with your hands to coat evenly. Roast for 4 minutes at a time at 500. Remove and toss around and return to oven for 4 minutes at a time. It usually takes three times at 4 minutes each to get the leaves crispy and brown. Set aside on baking sheet. Let cool at room temp.
3. In a dry pan over low heat, toast pine nuts. Keep an eye on them and shake the pan often to lightly toast. Remove from pan and leave aside for later. 
4. Sauté onion with salt and pepper in olive oil on med heat until soft and translucent about 4-5 mins. Add finely diced garlic and butternut squash.Sauté until just tender. Another 5 minutes. You want the squash to be tender but still have a little bite to it. Taste as you go! Remove onion and squash mixture to separate bowl. We will come back to it later.
5. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to same pan. Its okay if some onion bits are still in there, adds flavor! Over med heat add rice and stir constantly in oil until the rice grains begin to toast and turn a bit translucent. About 3-4 minutes. Add your wine and simmer until absorbed all the way. It will sizzle and bubble, that's good just keep stirring. Now begin to add your stock the rice 2 ladles at a time. Stirring consistently until almost all the stock is absorbed. Then add your next two ladles. Ass you stir the Risotto you begin to soften the rice grains and release their starches. This will begin to make a creamy risotto without having to add any cream. Continue to stir and add stock until the rice is al dente. About 30-40 minutes.  You may or may not use all the stock it depends on where the rice is at this point. But almost all of if should be gone by the end. I like to start with extra in case it reduces as you go a long and lose volume. 
6. When your risotto is al dente and about 3 minutes from perfection add in the squash puree and squash and onion sauté mixture. Stir to combine. Add two tablespoons of butter, cheese and stir. Taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. Things should be looking and tasting pretty good right now. Remove from heat. 
7. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon over Brussels Sprouts and stir once more. 

Time to Plate, Time to Eat! 

Spoon risotto into a shallow bowl or plate. Top with desired amount of Brussel Sprouts and Pine Nuts. Drizzle with a little extra olive oil. DIG IN! 

CHEERS!