Risotto takes about 40 minutes to make but is worth the time and effort. As you stir, stir, stir this dish, the rice gently releases its starches giving you a creamy and satisfying offering for any meal.
Ingredients:
- 3-Tablespoons of unsalted butter
- 2-Tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ cup shallots, finely chopped
- 2-cups butternut squash (peeled and chopped into small dice)
- Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1-cup Arborio rice
- 4-cups chicken or vegetable stock
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- Preheat the 11.5" Sauté Skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. Allow it to heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chopped shallots and cook them for 2 minutes.
- Add the 2 cups of butternut squash and thyme leaves.
- Season with coarse salt and pepper. Stir and continue cooking for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of Arborio rice to the pan. Stir the rice to toast it in the pan for 2 minutes. Stir, stir, then stir some more. This will prevent burning.
- Add 1 cup of stock to the pan. Stir gently until the stock is absorbed.
- Add another cup of stock and stir until it has been absorbed. Taste the broth and season the dish with salt.
- Repeat the addition of stock but reduce the amount to ½ cup with each addition. Be sure the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Taste and season frequently. You’ll need to layer in the salt a little at a time.
- Continue to add stock, stir, taste, and season the risotto until you’ve used all the stock or the rice will absorb no more liquid.
- Remove the pan from the heat and transfer to a serving dish.
*Tip: Sprinkle with cooked crumbled bacon just before serving. Chicken is another flavorful match with this dish.
Hint: The risotto is ready for more stock to be added when you can draw a spoon across the bottom of the pan and a clear path remains.