Winter Squash Cranberry Risotto
Any firm fall squash will work with this dish.
Ingredients:
| 1 | Pound Butternut squash, peeled and chunked in 1 inch chunks |
| 1 | Tablespoon Olive Oil |
| 1 ½ | Cups Arborio Rice |
| 2 | Tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 1 | Small onion, chopped |
| ½ | Cup dry white wine |
| 4-5 | Cups chicken stock |
| ½ | Cup orange flavored sweetened dried cranberries |
| ½ | Cup parmesan cheese |
| | Salt and white pepper to taste |
Directions:
1. Drizzle olive oil on squash and roast in a 350F oven until tender aprox. 1 hour. Let cool and set aside.
2. Heat broth in a saucepan until boiling and reduce heat to keep warm.
3. in a large skillet or brazier pan over medium heat, melt butter and onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes, add rice. Sauté until grains are evenly coated.
4. Add cooked butternut squash and stir.
5. Add white wine and let evaporate. Then add chicken stock a cup or less at a time and reduce heat. Let all liquid evaporate and add more a little at a time letting it all evaporate before adding more stock. The process should take aprox. 20-25 minutes to complete. The risotto will start to look creamy. Check towards the end of the cooking time for doneness, it should not be crunchy, but creamy. Make sure you stock stays warm while you are cooking or it will take longer to cook.
6. When creamy, add dried cranberries and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and white pepper. Serve at once.
Tips for perfect Risotto-
Add cheese in the final stage of cooking
Gradually add the liquid to the rice.
Use a heavy bottomed pot for best results
Wild and Gathered All Seasons Salad with Spicy Pecans and Maple Vinaigrette
Serves 10-12
I call this an “all seasons” salad because I serve it all year long, I just change the fruits and cheese for the season and serve a different version of it. I still serve it with Maple dressing and spicy nuts because it’s those flavors that make the salad special.
Summer salad
1- ½ pounds baby mixed or micro greens
6-8 ounces Bleu Cheese - Gorgonzola works well
1 pint Fresh Blueberries (local is best)
Fall Salad
1- ½ pounds of baby mixed or micro greens
6-8 ounces Goat’s milk cheese, crumbled
2 Granny Smith Apples, thinly sliced
Winter Salad
1 – ½ pounds baby spinach or baby mixed greens
6-8 ounces Good Quality Parmsean cheese
1 cup dried cranberries or chopped dried figs
Spring Salad
1 ½ pounds baby mixed greens or micro greens
4 -6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
Spicy Pecans
Ingredients:
3 cups pecan pieces
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons sugar
Roast pecans on a cookie sheet at 350F for 15 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes. When they start to smell like toasted nuts, remove from oven and set aside. As nuts are roasting -Melt butter in a small bowl. Mix seasonings in a larger bowl. When nuts are toasted, toss in the bowl with the seasonings and add the butter. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and let dry for about an hour. (can be stored for up to a week in a air tight container)
Maple Vinaigrette
Yields 2 1/2 cups
This dressing is similar to a 1-2-3 style of dressing.
Ingredients
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup of onion, peeled and minced
2/3 cup of maple syrup
1 cup of canola oil
1 Tablespoon Brown mustard
Instructions: Place all ingredients in a food processor except oil and blend on high for 30 seconds. Drizzle in oil slowly.