Recipe: Butternut Squash Risotto

Butternut Squash Risotto Credit: Andy Brumbaugh

Sometimes your kids surprise you. At 18, my son has never before shown a desire to learn to cook. We tried when he was younger, but he just wasn’t interested.

He likes to eat, though. Quite picky as a child, he has come around to eating (nearly) everything. So much so that I’ve used food as an incentive to get him to try other things he’s resisted. For example, I recently bribed him with dinner out at an Indian restaurant to get him to drive in traffic — yup, I’m teaching him to drive.

And then, out of the blue, he said, “Man, I love food. I wish I knew how to cook.”

Now I’m teaching him to cook, too. I guess it makes sense — he’s always done things on his own timeline.

It’s actually lovely teaching an older kid how to cook. We’ve been meal planning and grocery shopping together, and he’s also learning how to budget for groceries and how to cook affordably when he’s on his own.

That’s how it has come to pass that my kiddo — who a month ago had to be reminded how to turn on the stovetop and use a can opener — learned to make risotto.

It’s the first dish I taught my son to cook.

We got the idea to make it from the receptionist at his dentist’s office. After a wisdom tooth extraction, he needed softer foods for a couple of weeks and was sick of yogurt, applesauce, pudding and puréed soups.

Risotto is a very versatile northern Italian dish that isn’t complicated to make; it just takes time to stir. And stir. And stir. An ideal task for a cooking apprentice!

It’s made with short- or medium-grain rice cooked in broth until it has a luscious, creamy consistency. Arborio rice is most commonly used in risotto, but you could also try medium-grain carnaroli rice, or even grains such as barley or farro. Risotto calls for onions or shallots ( I used both), broth or stock, and good Italian cheese such as Parmesan, Romano or Asiago. Besides those basics, the variations are endless.

We chose a butternut squash version with crispy pancetta. The recipe calls for a little wine in the beginning of the cooking process to deglaze the pan after the toasting of the grains and cooking of the aromatics, but you can substitute a smaller amount of apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar or even orange juice for the wine, according to a chef friend of mine.

While the traditional recipes call for constant stirring, you don’t have to stand over the pot — just stir every minute or so. The most important tip is to warm up the broth so that the risotto doesn’t change temperature as you add liquid.

The result is worth the effort. My son loved making this recipe and is already planning on whipping it up again to show off his skills to his girlfriend.

Ingredients

8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1/2 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups arborio rice
2 teaspoons minced fresh sage
1 cup dry white wine, or 2 to 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or orange juice
1/2 cup cubed pancetta
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh sage leaves for garnish (fry lightly in a tiny amount of oil, then drain), optional

Directions

Warm broth in a saucepan.
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.
Sauté shallot, onion and garlic for 2 to 3 minutes, until onion is translucent.
Add squash and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add in rice and minced sage, stirring until the rice is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
Deglaze the pan with the wine, stirring to loosen anything that is stuck.
Add in 1/2 cup warmed broth, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat, 1/2 cup at a time, until the broth is used up and the rice is tender and creamy. (This step should take 25 to 40 minutes, depending on your pan and your stovetop heat. Patience is key.)
While the rice is cooking, crisp the pancetta in a separate small pan, then drain on a paper towel.
Once the rice is creamy, stir in the pancetta.
Finish with butter, stirring until melted.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with fried sage leaves, if desired.