Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto has quickly become one of my go-to dishes. I usually have all the basics on hand -- arborio rice, chicken stock, wine, cream and onions -- and by simply adding one or two other ingredients, you can completely change the flavour.

This week, I made it with a butternut squash I had on hand. I questioned the recipe that told me to puree the squash, but once I mixed it with the risotto, it was creamy and delicious and satisfying like a cheesy macaroni. This was perfect for a cold winter night and was so easy that I made it for myself one night when T. was out at a hockey game. All you need in 30 minutes and you're on your way to a hearty meal.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 4 cups hot chicken stock
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• In a large pot, bring water to a boil and add squash for 12-15 minutes, or until tender and can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain and mash with a fork.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until onion begins to soften. Stir in rice and let toast -- about three minutes.
• Pour in the white wine, stirring constantly until evaporated. Stir in the squash and 1/2 a cup of the hot stock. Stir until stock has been absorbed by the rice. Slowly add the stock 1/2 a cup at a time, only adding more once the previous amount has evaporated. 
• Continue stirring until the risotto is creamy. Add cream and parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe from allrecipes.com

Risotto with Aged Cheddar and Sweet Peas

T. and I were recently in Ottawa and one of the highlights of the trip for me was stopping at Maple Dale Cheese. We buy obscene amounts of delicious cheeses -- pesto cheddar, garlic cheddar, aged cheddar and cheese curds -- regular and garlic. It's embarrassing how quickly we go through this cheese when we return home. I think mice live here.

Looking for new and creative ways to use some of our loot, I made a basic risotto and added some of the aged cheddar and balanced out the creaminess and sharp flavour with some fresh peas I picked up at a farmer's market. It was a simple and delicious weeknight meal that was good for two nights and a great way to enjoy some cheddar.

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tsp butter
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated aged white cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 6 cloves of garlic (I like a lot of garlic!)
• pepper to taste

Directions

• In a medium saucepan,combine the chicken stock and water on medium heat. You want it to be warm when you add it to the risotto because it will absorb better. I used a ladle to transfer the liquid over to the risotto.
• In a shallow but large pan, melt three teaspoons of butter on low to medium heat, add garlic and sautee the diced onion until soft.
• Add the risotto and coat with the butter until it's "toasted," about three minutes.
• Add the wine and stir until absorbed.
• Increase heat slightly (I never went past medium) and add in broth-water mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time. Stir frequently until liquid is absorbed before adding more. This process should take about 30 minutes of stirring and adding liquid slowly.
• In a separate pot, boil water and add peas. Cook for about five minutes until bright green.
• Cook rice until tender and mixture has a creamy consistency.
• Add cream, cheddar cheese and peas. Stir until mixture is creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

Urban legend: Risotto is hard to make and those who dare to brave it will become slaves to their stove for hours to stand and stir.

I recently made risotto and when I told people I made it, the answer was always: "But isn't it hard to make? And doesn't it take hours?" No! It is not hard to make. And no! It did not take hours but a mere 35 minutes.

Before taking on this challenge, I did some reading, and I learned that unlike regular rice, risotto can absorb a lot of liquid and that you add about three to four times the amount of liquid to rice. But to make the risotto perfect and delicious, you need to add the liquid warmed in really small volumes, about 1/2 a cup at a time. Before you can add more, you need to wait for the previous liquid to be absorbed.

This was my first time making risotto and it turned out great, but it does require some patience and it's not a fix-it-and-forget-it -- you do need to be in the kitchen and able to stir every few minutes. But trust me, the result was worth it!

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tsp butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 6 cloves of garlic (I like a lot of garlic!)
• about 20 shrimp
• 10 stalks of asparagus
• pepper to taste

Directions


In a pot, combine the chicken stock and water on medium heat. You want it to be warm when you add it to the risotto because it will absorb better. I used a ladle to transfer the liquid over to the risotto.


In a shallow but large pan, melt three teaspoons of butter on low to medium heat, add garlic and sautee the diced onion until soft.

Add the risotto and coat with the butter until it's "toasted," about three minutes.

Add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Increase heat slightly (I never went past medium) and add in broth-water mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time. Stir frequently until liquid is absorbed before adding more. This process should take about 30 minutes of stirring and adding liquid slowly.

In another pan, melt some more butter and add garlic. Sautee shrimps about 4 minutes until pink. Add chopped asparagus for the final few minutes to soften.

Cook rice until tender and mixture has a creamy consistency.

Add cream, parmesan and pepper and shrimp and asparagus. Stir until mixture is creamy, about 2-3 minutes.

Download a printable recipe for Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto