Squash Risotto with Fried Sage Recipe

“Risotto is the food equivalent of a hug in a bowl, and this squash risotto takes comfort food to a new level.” –Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer

Squash Risotto with Fried Sage

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds acorn squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
• 3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (3 cups), divided
• ¼ cup + 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups finely chopped yellow onion, divided (1½ large onions)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed, divided
• 10 cups vegetable stock, divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine (we use pinot gris)
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, more for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place the acorn squash and 1 cup of the butternut squash on the prepared baking sheet, spread it out evenly, and drizzle with ¼ cup of the olive oil. Season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is soft and golden brown on the edges, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add 1 cup of the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add one clove of crushed garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 2 cups butternut squash and 2 cups of the vegetable stock and simmer until the squash is very soft, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Purée using an immersion blender or high-speed blender. You may need to add more stock to get a thinner purée. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the sage leaves and cook until they are crispy but not turning brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the fried sage leaves to a plate lined with paper towel and set aside.
5. In a large saucepan, bring the remaining 8 cups vegetable stock to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cover.
6. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the remaining 2 cups onions and cook until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 cloves crushed garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
7. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes to gently toast the rice.
8. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed into the rice. Stir in ½ cup stock at a time and stirring until each addition has been fully absorbed into the rice and it becomes thick, until the rice is creamy and soft with a slight bite to it, 20 to 25 minutes. You may not use all the stock.
9. Stir in the roasted squash, Parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.
10. To serve, ladle a few spoonfuls of the squash purée into shallow bowls and spoon the risotto in the centre of the purée. Garnish with additional Parmesan and a few crisp sage leaves and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Excerpted from Fraiche Food, Full Hearts: A Collection of Recipes for Every Day and Casual Celebrations by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Copyright © 2019 by Jillian Harris and Tori Wesszer. Photography by Janis Nicolay. Published by Penguin an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

This story was originally published in October 2019.