Holiday Leftovers: Winter Squash Risotto

 “Tomorrow, I will use up my leftover squash puree.”

I never seem to have the exact amount of squash puree that a recipe calls for.  Sometimes I have too little to use in another recipe, yet too much to throw out.  Usually it ends up in the trash anyway. Or ends up sitting in the fridge for weeks before ending up in the trash. But how do you use a tiny amount of squash puree?  Why, throw it in a risotto of course! 

Disclaimer: risotto in general is not a health food, and this version is no exception.  It is butter, starchy, and cheesy.  “Carb-tastic,” if you will.  I try to limit my portion size.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can vary the amount of squash that you use, depending on how much you have and how much squashy flavor you like.  A little bit of squash just adds a layer of depth to the primary cheese flavor.  Adding more will feature the squash flavor more prominently.

Even the smallest amount will turn the risotto a brilliant orange, making it look similar to Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.  That resemblance alone made the picky eaters in my life much more open to trying it!

I served this as a side dish to steaks.  That was a mistake. Its so heavy and creamy, I think that it can be a meal on its own, when accompanied by an interesting salad.

Winter Squash Risotto

3 tablespoons butter, divided
½ medium onion (or one small onion), finely chopped
¼-3/4 cup winter squash puree (ie pumpkin, kabocha, butternut, I used red kuri)
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
~5 cups chicken broth
½ cup white wine
⅓ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
salt

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until translucent.  Add rice and toss well to coat with butter. Stir and cook until translucent, but be careful not to allow the rice to brown.

Add the wine.  Cook until the wine is almost entirely absorbed.  Add the squash puree and 1 cup of broth.  Simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid is almost entirely absorbed, then add another ½ cup broth.

Continue cooking, adding broth in half cup increments when the liquid is almost absorbed.  The rice should never get dry.  After about 20 minutes from the first addition of broth, start tasting the rice for doneness.  When the risotto is done, the rice will be tender but not mushy.  You may not need the full 5 cups of broth (I didn’t.)

When the rice is tender, add 1 tablespoon butter and the parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat and stir the risotto vigorously.  Season to taste with salt. Let stand for a few minutes before serving.

Source: Heavily adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

Some pictures of the cooking process that might help you:

Liquid is not absorbed, just stir and cook

Liquid has been absorbed- add more broth

Pumpkin Muffins: Thoughts on a Trend

 “Tomorrow, I am going to make something pumpkin flavored.”

A couple years ago, I began to notice that pumpkin flavored things were popping up more and more in the fall.  It started with just baked goods, and pumpkin spice lattes.  This year, I saw ice cream, beer, wine, tea, prepackaged puddings and snack cakes, cookies and everything.  I suspect this is all an attempt to cash in on the wild popularity of Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte.  

I have loved PSLs for many years, but the trend seems to be getting a little outrageous this year.  The manufactured pumpkin items seem to be drowning in sugar and spice, without much pumpkin flavor. And too much of it makes it so much less special. Since we’ve mostly lost our connection to the natural world, its like food manufacturers have to shove these artificial seasonal flavorings in our faces to remind us what time of year it is. This trend seems to be fairly limited to the US:


I think that pumpkin has its place alongside other fall flavors, but I’m a traditionalist. When I want something pumpkin flavored, I start with good old pumpkin puree.  I make my own (two pumpkins worth), and use canned pumpkin after I run out.   And “Pumpkin Pie Spice” is actually just a variable combo of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg (usually).  If you have these, you have pumpkin pie spice already.

This fall, I made these delicious pumpkin muffins.  In my experience, pumpkin is best utilized in baked goods.  It adds a delightful moistness, and sneaking a vegetable into baked things is never a bad idea.  I topped my muffins with roasted pumpkin seeds, and ate them with Earl Grey on a chilly afternoon. That is fall.

A Cozy Morning: Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal

 I’ve been wanting to make some baked oatmeal for a long time.  It seemed like such a cozy, inviting notion for a fall breakfast.  (Or brunch, as the case may be for us night owls.) And pumpkin seemed like a natural fall fit, as well as a way to sneak in some vegetable nutrition.

I chose a recipe that was relatively simple.  I didn’t want to use multiple kinds of oats, any kind of dried fruit (not my favorite), or any other expensive bells and whistles.  This recipe is essentially just steel cut oats, pumpkin, milk, water, sugar and spices. Nice and simple, and it doesn’t make excessive amounts, since I was only cooking for myself and my breakfast hating boyfriend.

The simplicity of this dish made for a relaxing weekend morning.  It was beautifully sunny, and light was streaming into the kitchen as I got up and prepared the oatmeal. I popped it in the oven, and then lounged about answering emails while spicy, squashy aromas wafted around me.  It seems impossible to start the day in a quieter or more peaceful way.

The results were delicious.  I was concerned with how watery things were coming out of the oven, but everything thickened up within a few minutes.  It tasted thick, rich, and spicy, just like pumpkin pie.  Literally. Almost too much like pumpkin pie for breakfast.  I would love to make more baked oatmeal in the future, but I think I will stick to less sweet, desserty variations.

Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal  

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup pumpkin or squash puree
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 ¾ cups milk
2 cups warm water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat the oven to 375°F. In a large, oven safe saucepan or Dutch over, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in the oats and saute until they smell toasty.
Push the oats up against the side of the pan, and melt the second tablespoon of butter in the now clear center of the pan. Add the pumpkin puree. Fry it in the butter, only stirring after about a minute. Stir in the sugar and spices and continue frying the puree for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Pour in the milk, water, vanilla and salt and whisk everything to combine. Cover the pan and put it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, and carefully lift the lid. Stir the oatmeal. It will look quite loose still, but the oats should be tender. The oatmeal will thicken rapidly as it cools.

Source: adapted from Not Your Mother's Casseroles by Faith Durand, via thekitchn.com