Butternut Squash Risotto
Hubby and I love butternut squash. I’ve never actually cooked with it until this year, but I’ve been having a lot of fun with it. I saw this recipe come up in my Google Reader and added a star to the post so that I would try it sometime soon.
I doubled the recipe because I wasn’t sure how much it would make (it would have been fine to not double it) but I forgot to put the Parmesan cheese in. I did sprinkle some on top and it is very good with the cheese. I would recommend using freshly grated Parmesan cheese, but I’m lactose intolerant, so I used the dairy-free Parmesan-cheese-in-a-green-tube.
I used frozen cubed butternut squash. This was definitely the way to go. Cooking and cubing a squash is not fun (or so I’ve heard – I always buy frozen or pre-cut). By doubling the recipe, I used exactly 1 bag of frozen squash. The recipe below is not doubled. I’d say it makes about 6 servings. Hubby and I were eating this stuff for a couple days and we both loved it!
Butternut Squash Risotto – from Bean’s Bistro
2 Tbsp. Butter or Olive Oil
1 or 2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. Onion, finely chopped
1 C. Arborio (Risotto) Rice
1 C. White Wine
3+ C. Chicken Broth, warmed
1 C. Butternut Squash, cooked and cubed
2-3 Tbsp. Parmesan Cheese, grated
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the garlic and onion and saute until delicious smelling!
Stir in rice and coat with oil/ butter and let heat up, about 1 minute.
Pour in white wine and stir, continuing over medium heat. The wine should start to bubble and soak into the rice. If you do not want to use wine, you may just use the equivalent amount of chicken broth.
Add in 1/2 C. (or so) of chicken broth and stir. The broth should simmer and slowly soak into the rice. Stir every couple of minutes to make sure the rice is not burning and sticking on the bottom and to make sure there is enough liquid. Once most of the liquid is absorbed, add in another 1/2 C. and repeat the process.
With around 1 C. of broth remaining, stir in the squash. As the rice finishes cooking, the squash should cook further, getting softer and breaking into tiny pieces with the rice. You will get a lovely orange color and the rice will almost be coated with the squash.
Continue adding in the broth until the rice is thoroughly cooked through. If you need more broth to get a tender, al dente texture, add more in.
Just before serving, stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. (I sprinkled it on after serving it).
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
I have been looking for a great dip recipe, and this one looks delish! I’m glad you got your brother to share your recipe =)
Spinach and artichoke dip is my very favorite. I don’t make it often, but it’s one of those things my family expects at family events. My goddaughter even made me a special artichoke plate to serve it on!
Lucky you to get to share your brother’s secret recipe. Family recipes are the best.
Love this recipe and the fact that fresh spinach is used and not frozen! I love spinach and artichoke dip, but have always been intimidated to make it…. WHY!?!? It looks so simple. On my to-do list! 🙂
Yum…so trying this one on Sunday!! Thanks!!
One of my all time favorites! Yummy!
Yummy! This dip seems to be a favorite of almost everyone 🙂
Dear bean town baker
I’m afraid this isn’t the best way to cook corned silverside – it’s a very tough cut and needs to be braised in water and vinegar to get it tender. I add a range of aromatics and whole spices to the braising liquid – you can try fennel seeds, mustard seeds, star anise, any pickling spices …. But you are right that traditionally bay, peppercorns, cloves, allspice are the mainstays.
I add celery carrot and whole brown onion. I’ve also tried using ginger ale or coke for the braising liquid as suggested in a few online recipes (American) but I don’t think the expense is justified by the extremely subtle differ action in flavor. This is a dish for when you are low in funds after all.
The cut of silverside you get is also key … my mother would always ask the butcher for a piece of silverside from the H-bone – though todays butchers don’t always know what you are talking about when you ask for this!
Simmer it until the beef floats to the top (timing will depend on the size of the piece of beef but usually 3-5 hours). You pop in the carrots and spuds towards the end, and can also steam sliced cabbage over the pot in a colander which traditionally accompanied the dish. (I retrieve the whole onions from the braising liquid and add these to the cabbage along with butter, seasoning and occasionally a few sultanas). The small spuds, once tender, should be tossed with butter salt and pepper and parsley.
It’s crucial to cut the beef against the grain, and you must keep leftovers in the fridge submerged in the braising liquid or they will dry out.
Traditionally the dish is accompanied by a white sauce made from the braising liquid, cream, Dijon mustard (I also add horseradish) white pepper and (my own addition) a dollop of Mayo along with some parsley. It needs to be quite runny.
I hope this is useful to you. This is the way my family have been preparing corned beef for generations. The leftovers are terrific in sandwiches with mustard pickle and cheese.