{red kuri squash risotto}

it’s comfort-food season!

i will preface this post by saying that this dish, albeit exquisite, took a little time to make. typically i prefer my meals to be a little more “easy breezy” to prepare… however, this one is oh-so-worth the time and effort!

and let me reiterate – this dish is absolutely DIVINE! i totally love risotto any way i can get it, really… it’s one of my staple dishes, for sure. when i discovered this new squash, i was inspired to fuse it with some risotto and eventually make it into risotto balls.

risotto is hearty and filling while still being gluten-free, which i kind of love. the red kuri squash is in its prime season right now and it is just beautiful! full of vitamin a {that lovely colour!} and potassium [like most squash}, it added so much flavour to this amazing dish!

red kuri squash is delicious on its own, too. the flavour is reminiscent of chestnuts, and the flesh has a rich and creamy consistency when cooked.

risotto itself is very simple, it’s just a little time consuming to make. the ratio for making risotto is about 1:4 – one cup rice to 4 cups liquid. you can use a blend of water and broth or just water or just broth.  i tend to mix it up a little, but typically i use broth. the key {and magical} ingredient in making risotto is white wine. you can use any ol’ wine – cooking wine, cheap stuff at the liquor store, whatever.  but it must be dry and it must be included! the wine gives the risotto TONS of flavour and really rounds out the dish.

ingredients :

– 1 medium red kuri squash {about 3 pounds}

– 1 small sweet onion

– 1 cup arborio rice

– 1/2 cup dry white wine

– 3-4 cups veggie/chicken broth or water

– 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley {for garnish}

– salt and pepper

directions : 

{to save time, you could prepare these together, beginning with the squash.}

for squash :

preheat oven to 375 degrees. begin by cutting squash in half and removing seeds, then roasting flesh-side down for approximately 45 minutes, or until skin is tender enough to stick a fork through it.

{and by the way, you can save the seeds for roasting, too! the red kuri seeds are actually quite delicious!}

remove squash from heat and flip over, allowing to cool for a few minutes. then scrape out the middle into a bowl, and set aside.

for risotto : 

no need to rinse, just toss rice in a large skillet on medium to high heat with 1 tbsp. butter and “toast” for one minute. slightly reduce heat. next, add in 1/2 cup white wine and let the rice absorb the liquid. then add in 1/2 cup broth or water and allow to absorb.  repeat this process until all the liquid is used up and the rice is “al dente.” finally, add in reserved squash, stirring gently with a silicon spatula or the like, as to avoid damaging the rice itself.  the risotto should create itself into a creamy starchy consistency.

add in a little salt and pepper to taste and garnish with dried parsley.

serve immediately. and save your leftovers for making risotto balls… SO GOOD!

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do you love risotto, too?! what is your favourite ingredient{s} to add in?! 

Tags: cooking, eating, food, food and foto, food photography, gluten-free, photography, recipes, risotto, seasonal, seasonal recipes, squash, vegetarian