Butternut Squash Risotto

I teach monthly cooking classes for clients at work. Many are kitchen neophytes so my lessons tend to cover the basics and include straightforward recipes that require minimal effort. Last week, in a holiday-themed class, we discussed how to handle a butternut squash (peeling, cutting, cleaning and roasting) and since I had a demo squash left over, I was determined to make dinner out of it.
 
I wanted a dish where the squash would remain king, and then I remembered Ina Garten's Saffron Butternut Squash Risotto (yet another episode I saw at the gym while planning dinner on the treadmill). In all honestly, I'm not what you would consider a winter squash aficionado. I cook it and I eat it but it doesn't have a spot on my favorite foods list... at least not until it's paired with gnocchi, ravioli or a creamy risotto.
 
This particular risotto managed to knock my socks off. It balances the sweet, savory and creamy components perfectly, and with seared scallops on top, it may actually qualify as one of my favorite meals.

  
Butternut Squash Risotto
While this risotto is a meal in itself, I highly recommend topping each serving with a few seared scallops. The two flavors and textures are a match made in heaven. Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe.

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces pancetta, finely diced
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 large shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
4-6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.
 
Peel the squash, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds with a spoon and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes (about 6 cups). Place the diced squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons), a few good pinches of kosher salt and some black pepper. Toss well and spread in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, tossing once, until the squash is very tender. Remove and set aside.
 
Meanwhile, heat the chicken broth in a small saucepan. Cover and keep hot over low heat.
 
In a large pot, heat the pancetta over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered and the pancetta is beginning to crisp. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the shallots; cook for 5 more minutes or until the shallots are translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Pour in the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add two ladles of stock, the saffron, 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the broth is absorbed, about 6 minutes. Continue adding stock, two ladles at a time, stirring frequently, waiting each time for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. Continue this process until the rice is cooked through but still a touch al dente, about 30 minutes. Add the butternut squash, Parmesan and a splash more stock, if needed. Toss in the remaining tablespoon of butter, stir well and taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Citrus Compound Butter and Rosemary-Scented Sugared Pecans

 

A friend recently asked if I had any special Thanksgiving recipes to share but to be honest, I’ve never had to host the big dinner at my house. Most years my contribution involves appetizers, homemade bread or pies. And then the other day one of my coworkers shared her very popular, very simple annual dish. It involves roasting butternut squash, drizzling it with melted lemon butter and sprinkling it with chopped rosemary and walnuts. I decided, two days before take-off, to give it a go.

There are many possible variations to this recipe. Since we’re in the midst of the holiday season I thought an herbed citrus compound butter would be beautiful. And while walnuts are lovely, why not add a bit of sweetness with rosemary-scented sugared pecans? The results were dazzling.

 

There’s no need to be intimidated by the term compound butter; it’s just a fancy way of referring to butter that’s been flavored. If you don’t want to bother, simply melt the butter, mix in the zests, rosemary and salt, and drizzle it over the roasted squash. And if you'd rather skip the rosemary sugared pecans, plain roasted pecans chopped with a bit of fresh rosemary will also make a nice topping (you may want to sprinkle a bit of brown sugar over the squash wedges to give them that sweet-savory component). 

This Thanksgiving we’re heading to Tristan’s aunt and uncle’s house and I’m responsible for the bread (I’m thinking a wheat-sheaf Pain de Champagne) so stay tuned!

Rosemary Sugared Pecans 

1 cup pecans

2 tablespoons butter

2 slightly rounded tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Pinch of cayenne

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Coarse salt  

Roasted Butternut Squash 

1 medium butternut squash (or squash of choice, delicata is shown here)

Olive oil

Kosher salt 

Rosemary Citrus Compound Butter

The below amounts make more than you'll need for 1 roasted butternut squash.

 

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1 teaspoon orange zest

Pinch of salt

For the pecans: preheat the oven to 350˚F. Spread pecan halves in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 8-10 minutes or until they are golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or if you don’t have any parchment, a lightly buttered sheet will do). Set aside.

In a large skillet heat the butter, sugar, cayenne and rosemary over medium-high. Once the butter has melted, add the nuts and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with a good pinch of coarse salt. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

For the squash: preheat oven to 400˚F.

If you’d like to serve the squash skinless, use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Carefully cut the squash lengthwise in half; scoop out the seeds and fibers with a spoon. Cut each half in half again and rub the cut side of each quarter lightly with olive oil. Place wedges cut side up in a baking dish and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Transfer to the oven and roast until the edges have browned and the flesh is tender, 40-60 minutes.

For the compound butter: mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. The butter can be used immediately or rolled on parchment paper into a log shape, wrapped in plastic and frozen.

To assemble: Place squash wedges on a serving platter lined with rosemary sprigs. Top each with a dollop of compound butter and a sprinkling of crunchy pecans. Garnish with a bit of orange zest, if desired.

Gnocchi with Sausage, Cream and Roasted Butternut Squash

Back in October I won a $50 gift certificate to La Spiga, an Italian restaurant in Capitol Hill featuring food from the Romagna region. Life became increasingly hectic –- the big move, travel, holidays –- so we didn’t find the time to take advantage until last Saturday. 

We arrived a few minutes early and had time to sip a glass of chilled white while taking in the surroundings. The space was lovely with lots of dark wood, glass and romantic lighting. After being lead to the upstairs loft, we ordered a few plates to share: ricotta gnocchi, fresh pappardelle with duck ragout, pork tenderloin wrapped in prosciutto and, for dessert, an assortment of cheeses. We enjoyed every last bite. (I did, however, have one small bone to pick: they served plain, chalky pita bread before and during the meal. Someone should tell them that crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic wins every time).

Back to that gnocchi. These were made with ricotta cheese instead of potato, which I find impossible to resist, and were paired with a simple sauce of sausage and cream. So light, so fluffy, I was instantly obsessed. Two days later I found myself at Madison Market buying local chicken sausage, organic cream and a package of freshly made potato gnocchi (Monday evenings warrant shortcuts). I intended to recreate the meal with my own winter twist: roasted butternut squash.

When I got home I quickly peeled, de-seeded and diced the squash into uniform little squares. After a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and 40 minutes in the oven, they were caramelized and crispy.

The rest of this dish was a snap to assemble, taking only 15 minutes or so. Sausage, white wine, cream, garlic, nutmeg and Parmesan were simmered down into a creamy, velvety sauce, requiring only a quick toss with the hot gnocchi, squash and fresh herbs to call it dinner. Definitely doable on a busy night.

La Spiga’s version was absolutely delicious... but this! This was dynamite.

Gnocchi with Roasted Butternut Squash, Sausage and Cream 
This dish would do well with a few handfuls of baby spinach tossed in at the last minute. To make it vegetarian, replace the chicken sausage with sliced porcini mushrooms.

1 small butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded and diced
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Italian chicken sausages
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 glass dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
Freshly ground nutmeg
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
1 package ready-to-cook gnocchi or 1 batch of homemade, ricotta or potato style
A good handful of chopped fresh parsley 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place diced squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and transfer to the oven. Bake, stirring once or twice, until tender and caramelized, 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
 
Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil.
 
In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Squeeze the chicken sausages out of their casings and place in the skillet (you can add a drop of oil at this point if necessary). Cook, breaking the meat up into bite-sized pieces, until sausage is no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in a hefty glass of white wine and bring to a boil, reducing it down to about a third of its volume. Add the cream, a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg and 1/3 cup Parmesan. Lower heat to a simmer and let it cook down a bit until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
 
When the pot of salted water reaches a boil, add the gnocchi and cook according to package/recipe instructions (mine only took about 3 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the gnocchi to the skillet. Add a handful of freshly chopped parsley and toss to coat. If the sauce seems too thick, add a spoonful of the pasta water. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot garnished with freshly grated Parmesan.