Autumn's squash and sage risotto
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
• 1 kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 5T olive oil
• Bunch of sage (leaves picked off and roughly chopped)*
• 50g butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 300g risotto rice
• small glass of white wine (optional)
• 700 ml hot vegetable stock
• 50g parmesan, finely grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method
• You'll first need to roast the butternut. So in a baking dish, place the butternut, sprinkle over the sage and then generously douse with olive oil. Sprinkle a generous pinch of (ideally Maldon) salt and grind pepper over. Place the dish in an oven at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes, until the butternut is soft and the edges brown.
• Remove the butternut from the oven, and with a potato masher, roughly mash just over half the butternut in the dish.
• Turn the oven up to 200*C.
• Once this is done, start the risotto. In an oven-proof pot or casserole dish, gently fry the onion in the butter until soft and transluscent.
• Add the rice and stir until well coated. Then add the wine and stir until absorbed.
• Add the hot stock, then stir in all the butternut – including all the juices from the baking tray.
• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the oven for 18 minutes (yes, 18!).
• Remove, stir in the majority of the parmesan (keep a little to sprinkle over) and taste. Add a little salt or ground pepper if needed. If you'd like to make it just that extra bit creamier, then stir in an extra 30g or so of butter.
• Sprinkle the last bit of parmesan over the top and serve.
* If you really want to go to town with the sage, then only chop half of the leaves, and leave the rest whole. While the risotto is baking, heat up some olive oil in a small pan and then (very) quickly fry the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel until you need them. Use these crisped leaves to garnish the risotto when you sprinkle the final parmesan over it.
What to do in your veggie garden this autumn
• Clear the veg garden of summer's crops to prevent any diseases.
• Gather any seed heads now to prevent them rotting. Place the heads in paper bags in a dry, airy room.
• Empty your compost bin (and dig your compost into your garden) so that you have room for autumn's clearance.
• Continue to pick the last of the autumn berries or they will rot. If you grow apples, make sure the ones you store have no bruises.
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Ingredients
• 1 kg butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 5T olive oil
• Bunch of sage (leaves picked off and roughly chopped)*
• 50g butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 300g risotto rice
• small glass of white wine (optional)
• 700 ml hot vegetable stock
• 50g parmesan, finely grated
• Salt and pepper to taste
Method
• You'll first need to roast the butternut. So in a baking dish, place the butternut, sprinkle over the sage and then generously douse with olive oil. Sprinkle a generous pinch of (ideally Maldon) salt and grind pepper over. Place the dish in an oven at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes, until the butternut is soft and the edges brown.
• Remove the butternut from the oven, and with a potato masher, roughly mash just over half the butternut in the dish.
• Turn the oven up to 200*C.
• Once this is done, start the risotto. In an oven-proof pot or casserole dish, gently fry the onion in the butter until soft and transluscent.
• Add the rice and stir until well coated. Then add the wine and stir until absorbed.
• Add the hot stock, then stir in all the butternut – including all the juices from the baking tray.
• Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the oven for 18 minutes (yes, 18!).
• Remove, stir in the majority of the parmesan (keep a little to sprinkle over) and taste. Add a little salt or ground pepper if needed. If you'd like to make it just that extra bit creamier, then stir in an extra 30g or so of butter.
• Sprinkle the last bit of parmesan over the top and serve.
* If you really want to go to town with the sage, then only chop half of the leaves, and leave the rest whole. While the risotto is baking, heat up some olive oil in a small pan and then (very) quickly fry the sage leaves and place them on a paper towel until you need them. Use these crisped leaves to garnish the risotto when you sprinkle the final parmesan over it.
What to do in your veggie garden this autumn
• Clear the veg garden of summer's crops to prevent any diseases.
• Gather any seed heads now to prevent them rotting. Place the heads in paper bags in a dry, airy room.
• Empty your compost bin (and dig your compost into your garden) so that you have room for autumn's clearance.
• Continue to pick the last of the autumn berries or they will rot. If you grow apples, make sure the ones you store have no bruises.
<< Back to Recipes list
