Roasted Onion Squash Risotto with Sage and Walnut Burnt Butter
Chef and food writer Alexandra Dudley is known for her delicious recipes, as well as her tips for the ultimate effortless dinner party. Here, she shares one of her go-to autumn dishes. “I love the variety of squash that comes with autumn. Onion squash (also known as red kuri squash) is one of my favourites. It’s buttery soft and has a slightly sweet taste. The skin is edible, too, and it becomes wonderfully nutty and caramelised when roasted. It works perfectly for this risotto and breaks up easily into the cooked rice, turning it a vibrant shade of autumnal orange. I often make this midweek, but when entertaining, I love to jazz it up with a sage and walnut burnt butter.”
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Serves 4, Time 1hr 30, Difficulty: Easy
For the risotto:
1 medium-sized onion squash (or butternut) cut into wedges
Olive oil
Salt
1 large shallot or white onion
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
250g arborio risotto rice
1 large glass dry white wine
500-600ml vegetable or chicken stock
Knob of butter
50g grated Grana Padano
For the burnt butter:
80g butter
30g walnuts, chopped
About 12 sage leaves
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 200C fan setting.
Cut the onion squash in half, remove the seeds and cut into wedges. Place on a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and season generously with sea salt. Roast for 40 minutes, until cooked through and slightly charred. Allow it to cool slightly before placing 300g (keeping the skins) into a bowl. Gently break up using a fork.
Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan and fry the shallot on a low heat, until softened (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Stir through the rice. Pour in the wine and stir until the alcohol has been absorbed.
Slowly begin to add the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring occasionally and only adding more when the liquid has nearly absorbed. Test your risotto after 15 minutes. It should be nearly cooked with a little bite. You may not need to add all of the stock.
Add the broken squash, good knob of butter and the Grana Padano. Stir until well incorporated. Cover and switch off the heat while you make the butter.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the walnuts and sage and cook for about 5 more minutes, until the sage is crisp and the butter has begun to deposit small dark flecks on the bottom of the pan. If using unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt. Switch off the heat.
Season the risotto, to taste. You may need to loosen it with a touch more stock. Ladle into bowls and spoon over the sage and walnut butter.