An easy one pan risotto, ideal for making the most of the beautiful butternut squash available in Autumn.
Serves 2 as a generous main meal, or 4 as a starter.
Ingredients
- six rashers good quality unsmoked bacon (or use smoked if you prefer a stronger taste)
- half a medium butternut squash, cut into small (approx 1cm) cubes
- one mild red chilli, finely chopped
- one medium onion, finely chopped
- 150g risotto rice - arborio works well
- one chicken or vegetable stock cube, made up into a pint of stock
- one small glass dry white wine or vermouth
- one tablespoon finely grated parmesan
- one desertspoon olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan, and add the chopped onion and chilli. Fry gently for a couple of minutes until the onion and chilli begin to soften - don't allow them to brown.
- Cut the fat from the bacon, and cut the meat into small pieces. Add to the pan with the onion and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the rice and stir everything around so that all the rice is coated in the oil.
- Add the vermouth or wine to the pan and cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes so that the alcohol evaporates and the liquid begins to disappear. Then begin to add the stock, slowly at first - you may not need all of it.
- When the rice has been cooking for about 5 minutes, add the cubed butternut squash and stir so that all the pieces are submerged in the cooking liquid. Season well with black pepper; add salt if required but remember that the stock and the bacon will both add saltiness to the dish, as will the parmesan.
- Continue to add the stock, stirring gently, until the rice is cooked - this should take a further 10 - 15 minutes. There should be a very small amount of liquid left in the pan, to which you should now add the parmesan to thicken it up.
- Serve in bowls with an additional twist of black pepper. This makes a substantial dish in itself, but is also good served with a green salad or with some wilted spinach leaves.
Variations: try using pumpkin instead of the butternut squash, or chorizo instead of the bacon. You can also add an extra chilli if you prefer your food spicy!. If you can't get hodl of risotto rice, you can use ordinary white rice, but the dish won't be quite as creamy, and you should allow an extra couple of minutes for the rice to cook.
The copyright of the article Butternut Squash and Bacon Risotto in Fall Recipes is owned by Elizabeth Gregory. Permission to republish Butternut Squash and Bacon Risotto in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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