Butternut & almonds risotto
I love making risottos! They’re easy to make and very tasty, and can be adapted to any season.
Here we have the perfect autumn risotto: the butternut squash and maple syrup sweetness offsets the strong taste of the goat cheese.
Whenever I make a risotto I always use this rule of thumb: for every 300g of arborio rice, I use:
- 300-400g of vegetables;
- 100g of cheese
- 50g of nuts
- 125ml of dry white wine.
- one type of herbs
Some of my favourite combinations:
- red bell peppers & tomatoes/goat cheese/pine nuts/parsley
- zucchinis/parmesan/walnuts/lemon zest+parsley
- pears/blue cheese/walnuts
Sky is the limit!
- 600g arborio rice
- 700g butternut squash, diced
- 100g almonds, chopped
- 200g goat cheese
- 250ml dry white wine
- 3tbsp vegetable broth, mixed with 1.5l hot water
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 2tbsp maple syrup
- 3tbsp olive oil
- Add the oil to a big sauté pan then add the garlic and onion.
- Add the butternut squash, and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.
- Add the rice and toast until it becomes translucent by stirring regularly, then pour the white wine to deglaze the pan and let simmer until wine has evaporated (about 2 minutes).
- Start adding the broth little by little, stirring regularly, and add the bay leaves. Add a ladle of broth every time the rice has fully absorbed the liquid. Watch that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
- When the rice is nearly cooked, after 20-25min (it shouldn't be crunchy), add the almonds, goat cheese, and maple syrup.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve.
