Butternut Squash and Spinach Risotto

I’m always looking for new flavours of risotto to try, and this one was a winner! I will definitely be making it again.

I made this wine free, but you can replace 100ml of the stock with white wine if you wish.

Ingredients

1 small butternut squash peeled deseeded and cubed
2 shallots sliced
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 cup risotto rice
600ml vegetable stock
Knob of butter
Approx 6 closed cup mushrooms sliced
1/4 cup strong cheddar cheese grated
1/4 cup parmesan grated
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
Salt and pepper
Large handful baby spinach

Method

1. Roast the cubed, seasoned and lightly oiled butternut squash for half an hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pan fry the shallots, garlic and mushrooms until softened. Add the risotto rice to the pan and toast for 3 mins. Add 1/2 cup of the stock with the herbs. Stir and keep stirring until the stock has been absorbed by the rice, add another half a cup and keep stirring. Repeat this until all the stock has been used and the rice is cooked with a little bite remaining. Season.

Stirring is very important to get the texture of risotto just right, it releases the starch and makes it creamy.

3. Add in the butternut squash, spinach, cheese and butter stir until all combined and serve!

Yum yum

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

JSP

Creamy Tomato Risotto

This is a delicious vegetarian recipe, great for a simple mid week meal or to impress a friend with minimal effort.

Ingredients

1 tin tinned tomatoes
300ml hot vegetable stock
1 finely chopped white onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 cup of risotto rice
Small handful torn basil
2 sprig finely chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
Large handful chopped cherry tomatoes
Knob of butter
1/2 cup grated cheddar
1/4 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper

Method

1. In a measuring jug mix the tinned tomatoes with the boiling vegetable stock.

2. In a large sauce pan heat some olive oil and fry the onion until soft, then add the rosemary and garlic. Continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the rice, and stir for 3 minutes.

3. Start adding the stock and tomato mixture and the mixed herbs, about 150ml at a time, stirring continuously until it has been absorbed by adding the next 150ml. Before you add the last of the stock mixture add in the cherry tomatoes.

Keep stirring- this releases the starch and makes it nice and creamy.

4. When the rice has become tender after about 20 minutes and all the stock has been absorbed, remove from the heat and stir in the butter and half the cheddar along with half the basil.

Use the rest of the cheese and the basil to garnish.

Hope you enjoy!

JSP

Sausage and Stilton Risotto

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in America..over in rainy London Sausage and Stilton Risotto was on the menu, and as I’m not very well my boyfriend offered to cook.

This is one of the first meals we made together, and have both made it since, however we make it differently.

The recipe provided is the one I would use as opposed to what he did.

Ingredients

6 deskinned pork sausages
1 shallot
1 clove garlic
1 cup white wine
500ml of chicken stock
70g of stilton
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 cup of risotto rice
Handful of chopped parsley or chives
200g spring greens (to wilt)
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Firstly in a large hot oiled pan, break up the deskinned sausages into smaller chunks until well browned. Then remove from the pan and set aside.

2. To the same pan fry the finely chopped shallot until softened then ad the garlic and cook for another minute or so until it becomes fragrant. Add a sprinkling of thyme and stir in the rice. Cook the rice until it begins to toast- approx 2-3 minutes then add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Stir continuously until it has been absorbed by the rice.

3. Add a ladleful of hot stock once the wine has been absorbed. Repeat the process of stirring continuously and adding more stock. On the third ladleful add the spring greens and sausage meat back to pan. Keep stirring. Season the risotto.

4. Once the last ladleful has been absorbed, stir in the stilton and serve immediately with some finely chopped parsley or chives on top.

What my boyfriend didn’t add was the spring greens and thyme, and I would have preferred parsley on top. I also usually have much smaller pieces of sausage so you get some in every mouthful. But everyone has their own preferences!

Enjoy!

JSP

Simple Mushroom Risotto

I got a new cookbook today from one of the local charity shops- Delia Smith; How to cheat at cooking. So I’m looking forward to cosying down and having a good read through at the weekend when I plan next weeks dinners!

Tonight I made a very simple mushroom risotto. I quite honestly love risotto, and as I make it fairly often I’m sure in the future I’ll post many more of my risotto recipes.

If you have a bigger budget than me you can swap the cup mushrooms I’ve used with porcini mushrooms.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped closed cup mushrooms
1 cup chopped chestnut mushrooms
1 finely chopped white onion
1 large or 2 medium crushed garlic cloves
1 cup of arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/4 cup chicken stock
Handful chopped chives
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1/2tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated cheese
Knob of butter
Salt and pepper

Method

1. In a large, hot pan; fry the mushrooms in a tsp of extra virgin olive oil until softened- season them. Then remove them from the pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan add the finely chopped onion, and fry until translucent. Then add the garlic and sauté for a minute more.

3. Add the rice and stir for a couple of minutes to toast the rice a little. Then add the 1/2 cup of wine to deglaze the pan. Stir continuously until the wine has absorbed. At this stage add in the rosemary and thyme. Once the wine is absorbed pour in a ladleful of the stock and stir stir stir.

Keep stirring! This is so important when making a deliciously creamy risotto.

4. Continue the stock adding and continuously stirring making sure that each ladleful has been completely absorbed before adding the next.

On about the 4th ladleful return the mushrooms to the pan with the 2/3 of the chopped chives.

5. When all the stock has been absorbed and the rice has softened, add the cheese and butter, give it another stir. Check the seasoning…then serve, with the rest of the chopped chives on top.

Hope you’re having a wonderful week so far, happy cooking!

JSP

Chorizo and Turmeric Risotto

This is a rather untraditional risotto, sorry Italians! Here is the recipe for tonights spicy and vibrant risotto that is both a pleasure to make, and eat!

Serves two and takes about 40 minutes to make.

Ingredients

150g of chorizo cut into small cubes
1 finely chopped white onion
2 chillies finely chopped and deseeded
2 cloves garlic
1 orange pepper diced
7ish chestnut mushrooms sliced
1 cup of arborio rice
700ml chicken stock
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper
Knob of butter

Method

1. In a hot pan fry the chorizo until it starts to crisp up a bit and colour. No need for oil as it creates its own. Then add in the onion and soften. Once softened add the garlic and chillies and stir for a minute or so. Next add the bell pepper and cook until starts to soften then add the mushrooms and cook for a further two minutes. Season.

2. Add the arborio rice and stir until it is all coated, and starts to toast. Then add in one ladle full of stock. Stir continuously. Once this ladle full is absorbed add the next. On the third ladle full add in the spices- paprika, turmeric and cayenne. Keep going with the stock, making sure each ladle full is absorbed before adding the next.

I have read and learnt through experience that stirring continuously is very important as this is what creates the risotto texture by encouraging the rice to release the starch.

3. Once the final ladleful has been absorbed then stir in the butter, which will bring it all together..check the seasoning and serve immediately.

Far from traditional italian risotto I know, but still delicious all the same, with its beautiful and vibrant orange colour, it really is a delight.

JSP