Delicata Squash Risotto
Ingredients:
1 bunch of Asparagus
1/2 cup short grain rice
2 delicata Squash squash
1/2 yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 3 cloves)
2 small bundles of fresh sage
1 tablespoon walnuts
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons Cream Cheese
1 cube Vegetable bouillon
* Tip: You can substitute using a vegetable bouillon for vegetable broth. You’ll need to boil 4 cups of water to mix the bouillon in, so you can do 1/2 water, 1/2 broth.
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot. Remove from the heat and crumble vegetable bouillon over pot. Stir to dissolve. (If you’re using vegetable broth and water, still bring it to a boil).
Prep Squash:
While you’re waiting for the water to boil, prepare the squash. Wash the outside very thoroughly - because you can eat it! Trim the ends off each side. Cut in half. Scoop out the seeds. I like to do 1 squash in moons, and the other in smaller bite size pieces.
Place squash on oil lined parchment paper (foil is okay too), Drizzle oil on top and season with salt and pepper.
Bake squash for 18-20 minutes ( I like it caramelized, so if it needs more time, let it keep cooking!).
Prep the rest of the ingredients:
Mince garlic, or get it ready.
Wash asparagus. Tip: the asparagus will snap at its base to remove the toughest part of the asparagus. Then cut into bite size pieces.
Roughly chop walnuts.
De-stem the sage and finely chop it.
Start Risotto:
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet pan over medium heat. Add yellow onions to hot pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stirring occasionally.
Add short grain rice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until the rice is slightly translucent, stirring occasionally.
Carefully add broth to pan (slowly). Bring to a low simmer and cook for 17-20 minutes, or until rice is tender. Stirring frequently. (If the liquid evaporate before rice is tender stir in a splash of water).
Cook Asparagus:
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a medium size saute pan, over medium-high heat. Add asparagus. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Make sure to not overcook the asparagus.
Add the walnuts. Cook 2-3 minutes, or until walnuts are lightly toasted.
Reduce heat to low, Add 1 tablespoon butter. Add 1/2 the chopped sage. Cook for 1 minute until the butter melts, stirring frequently.
Finish Risotto:
Transfer squash to pan with risotto. Add cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of butter, and half of the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and remaining sage. Stir until cream cheese is incorporated and butter melts.
Top with the asparagus, butternut squash half moons and left over parmesan.
* I personally like a lot of asparagus so I throw it into the risotto at the same time as the squash and cream cheese go in. This is personal preference.
