Butternut & Sage Risotto
A gorgeous-looking meal bursting with flavour!
Don’t you just love the look of this dish? The deep orange tones of the roasted squash and dark green from the sage look so pretty, autumn-y and appetising together.
Young children and adults alike will be eager to tuck into such a gorgeous-looking meal. The good news is that it also tastes as good as it looks!
The ‘secret ingredient’ in this recipe is created by roasting the butternut squash and blending it with the stock to form the basis of the risotto.
The butternut becomes even sweeter when roasted, adding a hint of caramelised notes to the whole dish which pairs perfectly with the earthy sage and the slightly salty Parmesan. So good!
Although this is a delicious dish on its own, it’s also great when served with Grilled Lamb Chops and a side of green vegetables, such as Steamed Broccoli or Green Beans lightly dressed with a tiny squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil.
Served this way it becomes a very special meal indeed!
Butternut & Sage Risotto
Recipe by Clean Plate
Serves: 2 adults or 4 - 6 toddlers
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 small butternut squash (or about 500 g)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ Tbsp fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (or ½ tsp dried) - plus a few extra sage leaves for garnish (optional)
1 cup Arborio rice
2 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated - plus extra for serving
1 Tbsp butter
Salt and pepper (omit salt for children under 1)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C.
2. Cut butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds (ours was a large butternut so, we only used the neck part). Place halves on a baking tray, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and drizzle with 1 Tbsp of the olive oil. Rub to coat all over. Place butternut halves flesh down and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until flesh is soft enough to mash (pierce with a knife or skewer to check).
3. Carefully peel the skin from the butternut and mash the flesh using the back of a spoon, fork or masher.
4. Place the mashed butternut in a blender, add the stock and blend until smooth. Pour liquid into a saucepan and place it over a low heat to keep warm.
5. Place the mashed butternut in a blender, add the stock and blend until smooth. Pour liquid into a saucepan and place it over a low heat to keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion, garlic and sage and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until soften. Add the Arborio rice and cook for another minute, stirring.
6. Using a ladle, add about ¼ of the stock. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Repeat, but this time adding one ladle at a time, until rice is cooked. If the stock is finished and you find the rice is still too ‘al dente’, use some hot water from the kettle.
7. To finish the risotto, add the Parmesan and butter, stirring until combined. Adjust seasoning.
8. If you wish to garnish risotto with some crispy sage leaves, warm a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry leaves until crispy (it’ll only take about 20-30 seconds depending on the oil temperature). Place crispy sage leaves on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
