Butternut squash and sage risotto
Rick Stein’s cosy, autumnal squash risotto is made all the more delicious with homemade vegetable stock, plenty of Parmesan and a crispy sage leaf garnish.
Ingredients
For the vegetable stock
- 2 large onions
- 2 large carrots
- 1 fennel bulb
- 2 celery sticks
- 1 garlic bulb
- 3 bay leaves
- few fresh parsley stalks
- 1 tsp salt
For the risotto
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 8–10 fresh sage leaves
- 900g–1kg/2lb–2lb 4oz butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into rough chunks
- 1.5 litres/2½ pints vegetable stock (see above)
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú butter
- 1 banana shallot, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 300g/10½oz Arborio or carnaroli risotto rice
- 100ml/3½fl oz dry white wine
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú Parmesan (or alternative vegetarian hard cheese), grated
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the stock, wash and roughly chop the vegetables – there's no need to peel the garlic. Put them in a large saucepan with the herbs and salt and add 3 litres/5¼ pints water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes–1 hour, then strain the stock through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan or bowl. Set aside.
While the stock is simmering, start on the risotto. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot but not smoking, then add 4 whole sage leaves. Fry them until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper ready to garnish the risotto later. Set the pan aside.
Pour the oil from the pan into a roasting tin and add the butternut squash. Cut the remaining sage leaves into thin strips and add them to the squash, then season with salt and pepper. Roast the squash for 25 minutes until golden-brown and tender. Set aside.
Once the stock is finished, pour 1.5 litres/2½ pints of it into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Melt 40g/1½oz of the butter in the frying pan. Add the shallot and garlic and cook gently until softened but not coloured. Add the rice, stir well to coat and cook until translucent. Add the wine and allow it to bubble up and be absorbed. Start adding the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, waiting until each one is absorbed before adding the next. Keep stirring for 18–20 minutes until the rice is creamy and the consistency is soupy.
Mash the roasted butternut squash roughly using a potato masher and add it to the rice. Fold in the remaining butter and two-thirds of the grated Parmesan. Season well with salt and pepper. Serve the risotto in warm bowls and top each with a little more Parmesan and a fried sage leaf.