Butternut Squash Risotto With Thyme

Method5 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Finely chop the 2 shallots and garlic clove, keeping them separate. Cut the 500 g squash flesh into roughly 1 cm cubes. Warm the ready-to-use chicken stock (1.5 litres) and keep it hot for the rice.

   Uses 2 shallots · 1 garlic clove · 500 g butternut squash flesh, peeled and seeds removed · 1.5 litres ready-to-use low-sodium chicken stock

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a little olive oil in a large high-sided pan. Add the chopped shallots and cook until translucent. Add the squash cubes, 50 g butter and thyme leaves stripped from their sprigs. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, until the squash softens.

   Soften squash · 10 minUses A little olive oil for cooking shallots · Prepared 2 chopped shallots · Prepared 500 g squash cubes · 50 g butter · 3 sprigs fresh thyme

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the reserved chopped garlic to the pan and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

   Cook garlic · 1 minUses softened squash, shallots and thyme · Prepared garlic from 1 clove

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir the rice into the softened vegetables to coat it. Add a few ladles of the hot chicken stock until the rice is just covered. Simmer uncovered, stirring, until the rice absorbs most of the liquid, then add another ladle or two. Continue with the 1.5 litres of prepared stock until the rice is cooked through and the risotto is creamy, adding each portion gradually rather than all at once.

   Uses garlic-squash mixture · 350 g Arborio rice (or Carnaroli) · 1.5 litres hot stock, added gradually

5. 5

   Step 5: Turn off the heat. Stir in the optional tablespoon of mascarpone (1 tbsp) and all 40 g grated Parmesan. Taste before adding extra salt or black pepper, then serve immediately.

   Uses cooked squash risotto · 1 tbsp mascarpone, optional · 40 g freshly grated Parmesan · Salt only as needed after tasting · Black pepper to taste