I am hardcore in denial that Fall is basically here and all of my favorite summer fruits and veggies are quickly going out of season. I had a few scraggly remaining squash in my vegetable garden that really needed to be picked, so I decided to celebrate the end of my favorite season with one of my favorite dishes. Risotto combines my two favorite things on the planet. Cheese + Carbs. It’s a rib-sticking meal that is super satisfying and can be made in a billion different combinations.
My favorite trait of risotto is that as long as you have the right ratio of rice to stock to cheese, you can throw in pretty much whatever you want. I chose yellow squash and zucchini for this recipe, but you can try it with any cooked vegetable, bacon, scallops, lobster, you name it! A while back I made this version of Wild Mushroom Risotto that was seriously mouth-watering. Moral of the story is, if you want to serve your family or friends something filling and heart warming, risotto is your gal.
Serves 6.
Ingredient List:
- 2 yellow squash
- 2 zucchinis
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 large shallot
- 6-8 sage leaves
- small handful basil leaves
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 8 cups vegetable broth (two 32 oz boxes)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1/4 cup grated pecorino romano
- salt + pepper to taste
Kitchen Tools: medium pot, large stock pot or dutch oven, wooden spoon, ladle
Prep Work:
Mince garlic, finely dice shallot, and slice squash into bite-sized pieces leaving the skin on. Finely chop sage + basil and set aside.
Cooking:
Heat stock in your smaller pot until it reaches a low simmer. Cover with lid.
Melt 1 tbsp of butter in your larger pot on low heat. Bring heat up to medium and saute until the squash is just starting to soften but not falling apart. Season with salt + pepper. Remove veggies from pot and set aside in a bowl. Cover with foil to keep the heat in.
Add in shallots with another tbsp of butter and cook on medium-low until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Melt the remaining 4 tbsp of butter in your large stock pot. Toss in rice and coat with butter. Stir around the rice with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes on medium heat.
Pour in white wine and mix it into the rice until it soaks it up. Double check that your stock has warmed through and add it to the rice one ladle- full at a time. Wait until the rice completely soaks up each pour before adding the next. When you have about 1-2 cups of stock left, do a doneness check on your rice to see if it has cooked through or still has a crunchy bit in the center. If slightly crunchy, continue to add the rest of your stock.
Once your rice is cooked through and has reached a slightly soupy consistency (not too soupy!), stir in your cheeses, cooked veggies, and herbs. Season with salt + pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Tips + Tricks:
*The goal with risotto is to get the rice to just fully saturated but also so that your risotto is “pourable”. The rice will continue to soak up liquid even after it is done cooking, so err on the side of slightly soupy before serving.
*If you’re making this ahead of time, stop the rice when half your stock is gone and it’s still crunchy. Right before you’re ready to serve, finish the process and serve immediately.
