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Risotto may not be known as a Fall food, but add some apples and squash, and you can almost feel the cool breeze and hear the crunch of the fallen leaves! Steve Nelson with the Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, Massachusetts stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about his Apple Butternut Squash Risotto. His secret to a fantastic fall risotto begins with cooking the rice by gradually adding the stock to the pan, as the rice simmers on medium-high heat. Doing it this way gives each piece of rice it's own texture, slightly crunchy on the outside with a soft center. Add diced apples and the squash after the rice is cooked and let it soak in. It gives a fantastically rustic flavor that feels just like the fall.
Ingredients for 6 Servings
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¼ Yellow onion, diced
• ½ Cup Parmesan Reggiano, grated
• 1½ Cups Carnaroli rice
• ¼ Cup Mascarpone cheese
• ¾ Cups white wine
• 2 Cup feta chese
• Salsa verde
• 7 Cups hot water, chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 Cup Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 3 Cups butternut squash puree
• ½ Cup toasted hazelnuts, lightly chopped
Preparation
1. Sweat the onion in the olive oil until completely soft, approx. 15 minutes. Add rice, let toast, and cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine and let the wine completely cook out, stirring often.
2. Add hot water, vegetable stock or chicken stock, using one ladle at a time, stirring all the time until all the liquid is gone. Fold in the butternut squash puree, followed by the Parmesan and mascarpone, adjust the consistency if necessary with warm water. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide into six shallow bowls and scatter the diced apple and hazelnuts on top and drizzle with salsa verde.
