Crown prince squash risotto
This popular winter squash has a sweet and nutty flavour that is particularly suited to roasting – perfect in a risotto.
Ingredients
- 1 crown prince squash, peeled and diced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 leek, white parts only chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Parmesan rinds
- 300²µ/10½´Ç³ú arborio rice
- 150ml/¼ pint Italian white wine, such as Fiano or similar
- 1.5 litres/1â…” pints hot vegetable stock
- 80g/3oz unsalted butter
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú Parmesan, grated
- squeeze lemon juice
- 12 fresh sage leaves
- 8 hazelnuts, cracked
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
Toss the squash pieces in some olive oil and thyme and roast on a baking tray for 30 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, place some olive oil in a saucepan over a medium-low heat then add the onions, garlic, leek and bay leaf and sweat for 10 minutes until soft.
Add the roasted squash and parmesan rinds followed by the rice and then the wine. Allow the wine to reduce by half, then slowly add the hot stock a ladle at a time, constantly stirring.
After around 18–20 minutes, taste and test the rice – it should still have a bit of bite.
Stir in 30g/1oz butter, some of the grated Parmesan and a squeeze of lemon and allow to stand for a few minutes.
Heat a small frying pan and add 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú butter, cook until it turns brown and then add the sage leaves and cook in the brown butter until crispy
Stir in the hazelnuts to coat in the brown butter. Serve the risotto in pasta bowls, spoon over the sage and hazelnuts and finish with Parmesan.