The second time I made it I added mushrooms and that really balanced the flavors of the squash and sage. I'm really happy with how it turned out. This recipe makes 10-12 cups of risotto and works very well as leftovers. It's really easy to make-- chopping up the squash is the most time consuming part of the project.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 cups chopped celery
- 1/2 tsp asofoetida
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
- 1.2 liters homemade or store-bought no-salt-added vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves, chopped finely
- 1 kg butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 cm cubes
- 450 g mushrooms, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 2 1/2 cups short-grain brown rice
Method
Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pot fitted with a lid over medium heat. Add the celery and asofoetida and cook, stirring frequently, until the celery is lighty browned.
Add the sage and cook until fragrant for a minute or two.
Add the rice and stir until it is mixed in and coated with the oil/celery/sage mix.
Add the squash, mushrooms, salt, and the broth. Stir well, cover, and bring to a boil.
Once boiling, leave covered and turn the heat down to a simmer. Check and stir every 10-15 minutes until the rice is cooked (about 45-75 minutes depending on the rice used). Add salt to taste.
The risotto should be creamy but not too runny. If needed, add up to an additional 230 ml of water.
Serve hot. This reheats well in the micrwave. Top with a hard grated cheese if desired.
