When thinking about fall dishes, Joshua Weissman was tempted to turn a trendy pumpkin spice coffee into dinner.
“I wanted to make something fall-inspired, and then I remembered how much I hated the pumpkin spice latte craze. And I thought, ‘Would it be crazy to make a pumpkin spice risotto?'” says the author of the new Texture over taste cook. “Even though I was struggling for an incredible 4 seconds, I decided to go the route of something a little more traditional and make butternut squash risotto.”
“Risotto is a great fall dish: warm, creamy, rich and incredibly delicious,” says the popular YouTuber, who adds fried sage, pancetta and grated cheese to his version. “Plus if you throw in seasonal ingredients like butternut squash for a touch of sweetness, it just makes it feel even cozier.”
Although the final result should be decadent, Weissman suggests adjusting the measurements until you get the texture you want. “You may need to use more liquid than the recipe calls for,” he says. “Don’t be afraid to add more warm broth if the risotto is too thick.”
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Joshua Weissman’s Butternut Squash Risotto with Pancetta and Crispy Sage
Cooking spray
1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs.), halved lengthwise and seeded
6 cups chicken stock, divided, plus more as needed
4 oz. pancetta, cut into cubes
8 sage leaves
1 small head of yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray. Coat the cut sides of the squash liberally with cooking spray. Place, cut side down, on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven until tender, 35 to 40 minutes.
2. Remove the squash from the oven and scrape the meat into a blender; add ½ cup chicken stock. Secure the lid on the blender and remove the center part to let the steam escape. Place a clean towel over the opening. Process on high until very smooth and velvety, about 1 minute. Add more stock, if needed, to mix.
3. Cook pancetta in a medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, until very crisp and most of the fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon; drain on a paper towel. Increase heat to medium; add the sage to the drippings in the same pot. Fry, undisturbed, until crisp, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Add the onion, garlic and salt to the drippings in the pot; cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. In a separate pan, heat the remaining 5½ cups of chicken stock over medium-low heat.
6. Add the rice to the pot with the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 30 seconds. Stirring constantly, add about ⅓ cup of the hot stock to the rice. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Repeat the process of adding the stock, ⅓ cup at a time and stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked al dente, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of zucchini puree; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat; stir in cold butter until glossy and emulsified.
7. Serve immediately topped with crispy sage, pancetta, grated cheese and pepper.
Serves: 4 Active time: 50 minutes Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education