Mediterranean Inspired Summer Salads

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Med Food and Travel: Vegetarian Risotto with Butternust Squash and Fresh Sage

I "Googled" around to find a nice and easy butternut squash risotto recipe that I could improve on. I found this one at simplerecipes.com bought the ingredients and invited a couple of friends over for dinner. Here is the recipe with a few changes:

Ingredients:

• 6-8 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, and finely diced (you can find these already peeled and chopped)
• 2 cups arborio rice 
• 1 cup dry white wine 
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 Tbsp chopped sage leaves
• Salt

Preparation:
Roast the butternut squash slightly on the broiler and set aside. Do not cook too much otherwise become puree once you add it to the risoto.

Meanwhile sautee the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is getting translucent / blond. Add the rice and mixed well with the sauteed onions. Lower the flame on the stove to low flame and add the butter, keep mixing all the time. Add half the cup of white wine to release the flavours on the pan. keep stiring and add a cup of broth then the sage leaves. Keep adding the broth and stiring until the rice cooks but still al dente. Add the roasted butternut squash and stir without mashing it.

You can add a bit of the Parmesan cheese while cooking the risotto but I like to grate it on top at the time of serving. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and serve immediately.