Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients:
For the risotto:
8 oz butter, divided
½ cup shallots, diced
3 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups vegetable stock
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup butternut squash puree
1 tbsp drizzled truffle honey
For the squash:
1 ea Butternut Squash
1 tsp french four spice (1 part of each: nutmeg, allspice, mace, cinnamon)
2 tbsp butter
Procedure:
For the risotto:
Heat 4 ounces of butter in a pan and add the onions, cook until transparent. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon until well glazed and translucent. Add the wine and cook, stirring until the wine evaporates. Add three cups of the stock, stirring occasionally, cook over low heat for five minutes, add three more cups of the stock, along the the salt and pepper and bay leaf. Follow this with two more cups of the stock. Stir whenever the liquid is added to the rice. Total cooking time of the rice should be fifteen to twenty minutes.
Remove the risotto from the heat, cover and let rest for two minutes. Add the remaining 4 ounces of butter and cheese. Puree and stir with a wooden spoon.
For the squash:
Split the squash from top to root end, clean out the seeds (you can save them and toast them just like pumpkin seeds) sprinkle the four spice on the meat of the squash and place the butter in the bowl of the squash, turn onto a baking pan flesh side down and bake in a 350°F degree oven until tender. Remove from oven, peel, puree and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, combine quash with risotto and place the risotto in a bowl and top with honey and toasted seeds.