Diary Recipes

I got this cookery book last week and as well as being full of lovely cakes and pies, it also has some savoury dishes in it and one that caught my eye was this Butternut Squash Risotto.

3tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely grated or crushed
375g (13oz) peeled butternut squash (weight when peeled) cut into 5 mm-1cm (1/4 - 1/2 in) cubes
325g (11 1/2 oz) risotto rice, such as Arborio or Carnaroli
125ml (4fl oz) white wine
900ml (1 1/2 pints) vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g (3 1/2 pz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 tsp finely chopped sage

To serve
Some extra shavings of Parmesan cheese
25g (1oz) pumpkin seeds, toasted (in the oven for a few minutes, or in a pan over a medium heat)
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F), Gas mark 4.
2. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof saucepan or deep ovenproof frying pan set over a low-medium heat, ad the onion and garlic, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft.
3. Add the cubed butternut squash and the rice and stir for 1 minute before adding the white win. Allow the wine to bubble, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes until it has evaporated, then add the stock and bring to the boil.
4. Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the rice is just cooked, with the tiniest bit of bite (it should not be soft and mushy), and has absorbed the stock. Add the grated cheese and chopped sage and season to taste.

5. Serve on warmed plates or in warmed bowls sprinkled with shavings of cheese and toasted pumpkin seeds.

We had it for supper tonight and it was really delicious. You may have noticed that there are no shavings of parmesan or toasted pumpkin seeds, Im sure they would add a little something to the dish, particularly in terms of presentation, but the dish stands up well without them.