Roasted Butternut Squash + Sage Risotto

Another Butternut Squash recipe you say?! Well, yes!  Although Thanksgiving and fall is over and the countdown to Christmas has begun, squash is still a main component to so many dishes this time of year.

Risotto can be thought of as a fairly labor intensive...lots of stirring the liquid into the rice until it absorbs.  This recipe calls for minimal stirring and allows the rice to cook the majority of the liquid by simply simmering with the lid on.  This is a 45 minute meal, done simply and easily.

The Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Arborio Rice
4 Cups Butternut Squash (I purchased pre-cut squash from Trader Joe's to save a little time/effort)
2 Cups Yellow Onion, diced
1 Cup Dry White Wine
3 Tablespoons Fresh Sage, chopped
5 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Pecorino Romano Cheese, finely grated
1/4 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Kosher Salt + more to taste
1/4 Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper + more to taste
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

The Steps:

1) In an 8x8 baking dish, add the butternut squash, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Stir to evenly coat the squash.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the squash is tender when pierced with a fork.  When squash is tender, turn off the oven and leave squash inside until you are ready to add to the risotto.  NOTE: the Trader Joe's pre-cut squash pieces are a bit large.  Before adding to the risotto, use a fork and break apart the cubes into bite size pieces.

2) While the squash is roasting, begin by dicing the onions, chopping the sage, and grating the cheese.  Set aside. 

3) Next add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the onions to a larger stock pot and saute over medium-high heat until the onions have softened and are nearly translucent.  OPTIONAL: I wanted my onions to be lightly browned so I turned up the heat for several minutes before adding anything else. 

Add in the garlic powder and continue to saute for 1 more minute.

4) Turn up the heat to high and add 1 cup of wine.  Boil for 3-4 minutes.  

5) Add in the rice, 2 tablespoons sage, and 4 cups chicken stock.  Bring to a boil then turn down, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until liquid has been absorbed.  I stirred the rice 2-3 times during those 30 minutes.    

6) When there is 5 minutes or left in cooking the rice, add 1 more cup of chicken stock, 2 cups of cheese, and the squash (remember to break up the cubes into bite size pieces before adding).  Stir until all is combined and leave lid over for remainder of the 5 minutes of cooking time. 

7) Prior to serving, add salt and pepper to taste. Using the last tablespoon of the sage, add as a garnish when dishing up.  You can also add more grated cheese if you'd like.