You may find that the butternut and sage pairing comes up a few times on this blog. I can’t help it, I just love this flavour combination.
This recipe is part of my series 30 Days of Mediterranean Recipes (yum).
And this silky butternut risotto is all about flavour – yet you don’t have to slave away for hours for it. When roasting the butternut cubes, make sure they get some good colour on them, maybe even let a few smaller pieces catch at the edges. Just a little. This is my secret to the best nutty caramelised butternut flavour.
I don’t complicate things by adding garlic along with the shallots or roasting the butternut with a few sprigs of rosemary, or browning the butter – although all of the above were considered. In the end I wanted the simple roasted butternut flavour to shine.
This recipe was inspired by a quick throw-together Woolies run. Anyone else a fan of leaving dinner plans to grocery store inspiration? Here’s my shopping list:
- Butternut, diced
- Fresh sage
- Salted butter
- Shallots
- Risotto/ Arborio rice
- White wine (these smaller cans are perfect for cooking when you don’t plan to drink the rest of the bottle)
- Chicken stock
- Parmesan/ Hard cheese
- Prosciutto crudo (these “Petals” are perfect for a dish-topper)
Yip that’s it!
Trust me, whether it’s a bright summer evening or a cold stormy winter, this risotto is a guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser any time of the year.
Roasted Butternut, Sage and Prosciutto Risotto
Ingredients
- 500 g butternut squash, peeled and diced into bite sized cubes
- 1 handful fresh sage leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1-2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 litre stock (chicken or vegetable)
- ⅔ cup grated parmesan
- 40 g proscuitto crudo slices
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200℃ (390℉).
- Scatter the diced butternut squash onto a lined baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Shake the pan to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until the butternut has softened and is starting to caramelise. Set aside to cool. Reserve ¼ of the butternut for serving.
- Place a medium sized saucepan or pot (I like to use a cast iron casserole pot) on a medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add a drizzle on olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle in the sage leaves and fry for a minute until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add the diced shallots with 1 tbsp butter. Sauté until softened.
- Reserve ½ of the stock for the butternut puree. Place the remaining stock in a separate saucepan on medium heat until just simmering. Keep on a low gentle heat.
- For the butternut puree, add the roasted butternut cubes to a food processor (reserve a quarter for serving). Add the reserved ½ cup stock and puree until smooth. Season to taste.
- Add the arborio rice to the shallots and stir to coat all the grains. Sauté for a minute or two whilst stirring to lightly toast the rice.
- Turn to heat down to medium-low and add the white wine. Stir until at least half the liquid has reduced.
- Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring between additions. Continue until the rice is al dente with a creamy consistency. You may not need to add all the stock.
- Remove the risotto from the heat. Add the butternut puree along with the remaining butter and the grated parmesan and stir briefly to combine. Cover with a lid and let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Season to taste after resting.
- Serve with the remaining roasted butternut, scatter over the crispy sage leaves and tear over pieces of prosciutto.
