I’m not that fussy

In recent years, I have come to the realization that most people’s repertoire consists of dishes that I’ve either never made or only made once because they seem too fussy.

Take risotto, for example. I know it’s not difficult, but it sure is demanding – “stir constantly,” “cook for one minute, then add broth, while continuing to stir,” “stop stirring and your risotto will suck.”

That and it’s usually quite heavy and rich. And I like variation in my meal – one honking bowl of rice without much else doesn’t excite me the way a dinner of 2 or 3 items does.

So I have made risotto 2 times, I think, before now.

But I had my Cooking Light at my side and came across the recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash with Sugared Walnuts and was captivated by how healthy and simple it seemed.

Plus,  I had all of the ingredients on hand (I had a bottle of Chardonnay – below, which has never happened. Thanks to a roomful of red wine drinkers, it was leftover from a party) and I hadn’t defrosted anything. That, and this is one of the few recipes that doesn’t include cream or tons of butter (just a tablespoon – I didn’t think it was possible!). It seemed like it was meant to be made, I thought.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 2/3 cup risotto, 1 1/2 teaspoons cheese, and 1 tablespoon nuts)

Ingredients

• 1/2  cup  coarsely chopped walnuts
• 1  tablespoon  butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon  brown sugar
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  cups  (1/2-inch) cubed peeled butternut squash
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh garlic
• 4  cups  fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2  cup  water
• 1  ounce  pancetta, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1  cup  finely chopped onion
• 1 1/4  cups  uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2  cup  chardonnay
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped fresh lemon thyme or 1 1/2 tablespoons thyme plus 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Arrange nuts in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until toasted, stirring twice. Place nuts in a bowl. Drizzle butter over warm nuts; sprinkle with sugar and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Toss well to coat.

3. Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on jelly-roll pan. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; stir in garlic. Set aside.

4. Bring broth and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

5. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta to saucepan; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with cheese and nuts.

****

Despite a sore wrist from the constant stirring, it was fairly easy to make.

I love the addition of the sugared walnuts, which gave a nice depth and heartiness (not to mention, crunch) to the dish.

And the colour of this squash is just beautiful. What a nice meal for this time of year. Here it is, waiting to be added to the rice, along with tons of fresh thyme, garlic and onion.

For vegetarians, simply omit the pancetta and use vegetable stock instead of chicken.

Mmm, this would be a great choice for American Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow!