Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 small butternut squash
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. rice for risotto
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
• Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Preparation:

1. "Risotto isn't as complicated as many people think: just stir it constantly!" says Debi.

2. Cut the pumpkin.

   
   Trim the ends of the pumpkin, then use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin.
3. Cut the pumpkin in half lengthwise.
4. Scoop out the seeds and fibrous pulp from one half. Set the other half aside for another use.
5. Slice the pumpkin lengthwise into about 1cm thick slices, then cut crosswise into 1cm cubes.

6. Prepare the pumpkin.

   
   Bring the broth to a boil in the saucepan, then reduce the heat and maintain a gentle simmer. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the pumpkin and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.
7. Add 1/4 cup water and simmer until the pumpkin is tender, another 10-15 minutes. Lightly crush the pumpkin by pressing it into the pan with a wooden spoon.

8. Prepare risotto.

   
   Stir rice into pumpkin, season with salt and pepper.
9. Add a ladleful of hot broth to the rice and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed. Don't add too much broth at once, and make sure it's at a simmer; otherwise, the cooking process will stop. Continue adding broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring until completely absorbed before adding the next portion.
10. About halfway through cooking, add more salt and black pepper to taste. The entire cooking process takes about 20 minutes; begin tasting after about 15 minutes. If you've used all the broth and the rice isn't al dente yet, heat a few cups of water and add a ladleful at a time, just like you did with the broth, until the risotto is done.
11. The risotto is ready when you run a spoon across the bottom of the pan and it leaves a clean strip for a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

12. Serve the risotto.

    
    Divide the risotto among plates or a serving platter, sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley. Never leave the cooked risotto in the pan, or it will turn into mush.
    
    

    Note

    
    Butternut squash is a wonderful autumn addition to risotto, but you can try other vegetables, too. Gabriel recommends mushrooms or zucchini.