Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Sugared Walnuts

There are certain foods out there that scare me. The thought that I could prepare those ingredients, master that technique or turn out a complicated dish will sometimes prohibit me from even trying. My mantra as of late is “we can always get take out,” so I have been trying to go outside my comfort zone a bit more than usual.

I am actually embarrassed to say I have never made risotto. Me. Italian my marriage. A love of Italian food. A carbaholic. It is remarkable, really, that a rice could scare me so much. Until, that is, I saw Moreno in Perledo, Italy make it (still working on the Lake Como cooking class blog post, I promise!).

He made it look easy. Truly, the main ingredient you need is a bit of patience. He said you want to “mantecare,” which apparently means to “make creamy.” Add broth. Stir. Add broth. Stir. Seemed simple enough, as long as I could hold off waiting to eat it until it reached perfection.

So, in my seasonal cooking spirit, I tried a roasted butternut squash risotto with sugared walnuts from Cooking Light. Now that I have mastered how to butcher a butternut squash (if you need help, go here! It sure helped me! http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_peel_and_cut_a_butternut_squash/), I thought I would try this, and was anxious to taste the soft, rich risotto paired with sweet and crunchy nuts.

Oh. My. Goodness. This recipe alone is a reason to get over my resistance to risotto. Yes, it takes long, well over an hour, but the wait was worth it. It is so rich and creamy, and the nuts cut the richness with a perfect sweet crunch. I almost felt myself transported back to Italy where I truly fell in love with risotto. I could hear Moreno telling us to “mantecare” while we sipped our wine and watched in awe, all the while breathing in the sweet and salty smells of a strawberry balsamic risotto. Nothing could compare to Moreno’s technique and end result, but this risotto came as close as I have ever been since.

So, be brave, carve out some time, eat a snack to tide you over, then stir away. You will be glad you did!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO WITH SUGARED WALNUTS
Serves 8

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

Preheat oven to 400°.

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.

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.

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

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. Continue until the risotto is cooked (hint, you may need more chicken broth like I did!). Stir in squash, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with cheese and nuts.

Chicken with Tarragon and Quick Roasted Garlic, and Southwest Rice and Corn Salad with Lemon Dressing

I don’t know about you, but there are times when I am just so sick of chicken. It is such an obvious choice – it is healthy, cheap and can be made in a variety of ways. But, the very characteristics that make it so wonderful, also entice the average home cook to put chicken in the meal rotation too many times a week. And that, my friends, results in food boredom.

So, I must admit that when I made this recipe I wasn’t overly excited. It was yet another sauteed chicken breast. But, I was so pleasantly surprised that we declared that this recipe might have resulted our favorite chicken dish in many poultry-filled months.

What makes this dish is surely the salad that goes with it – so I beg you not to omit it. I didn’t have all of the veggies, but it still turned out amazing. The rice combines so well with the acidity of the lemon juice, the richness of the avocado and the sweetness of the corn.

The chicken has such a rich flavor due to the roasted garlic and tarragon. It tastes like something that has been cooking and developing flavors all day long.

So, this recipe has invigorated my love for chicken, and will be my new go-to recipe with my poultry love is diminishing.

Thanks to Bon Appetit for this recipe!

CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON AND QUICK ROASTED GARLIC
4 Servings

3 large unpeeled garlic cloves
4 small skinless boneless chicken breast halves or cutlets
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Heat small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; cover and cook until browned in spots and tender when pierced, turning occasionally, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer to work surface to cool.

Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate (do not clean skillet).

Peel garlic. Add garlic and wine to same skillet; cook until reduced by about half, mashing garlic finely with fork, about 1 minute. Add broth and tarragon; simmer until liquid is reduced by about half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream and simmer to sauce consistency, about 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet with any accumulated juices. Simmer to heat through, turning occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; spoon sauce over.

SOUTHWEST RICE AND CORN SALAD WITH LEMON DRESSING
8 Servings

1 cup long-grain white rice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 2 ears) or frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup chopped fresh poblano chiles or green bell pepper
1 cup diced seeded yellow bell pepper
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes yellow zucchini
1 avocado, halved, peeled, diced
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook rice until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again.

Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and 3 tablespoons oil in small bowl. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add corn, poblanos, yellow bell pepper, and zucchini. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are just tender, 6 to 7 minutes; scrape into large bowl. Add rice, avocado, green onions, cilantro, and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Bison Burgers with Cabernet Onions and Wisconsin Cheddar with Roasted Fingerling Potato Salad

So I have always been curious about bison. Everyone says it is leaner, healthier and some people even say more delicious than its beef alternative. And, as you know, I will try just about anything once. So, we thought one night we would give it a try.

Whole Foods has ground bison almost all the time so I would start there. Took me two other grocery stores in Cincinnati before I found it, so learn from my mistakes.

I don’t know if it was the way the bison was seasoned, the Cabernet onions on top or that wonderful, summer grill taste, but they were fantastic. My husband said it was officially his favorite burger I make. This would be a good one for a party, too, because it has that wow factor – especially with the onions. It calls for white cheddar and although I bought some for the occasion, I totally forgot to put it on top. It was great regardless, but I am definitely going to include it next time.

I served it with this roasted potato salad, which was fantastic. The salad felt a bit lighter (no mayo, etc.) so it went well with the burger.

Both recipes are from Bon Appetit. If you are curious about bison, I would give it a try with this simple recipe!

BISON BURGERS WITH CABERNET ONIONS AND WISCONSIN CHEDDAR
Makes 4 Servings

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
3 cups sliced onions (about 2)
3/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other dry red wine
1 pound ground bison (buffalo)
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
4 organic hamburger buns
6 ounces sliced Wisconsin white cheddar cheese
Dijon mustard
1 small head of escarole, leaves separated

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium skillet over medium- high heat. Add onions, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until tender and golden brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté until very tender and well browned, about 15 minutes longer. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Preheat grill. Gently mix meat and next 3 ingredients in large bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Grill burgers until desired temperature.

Open buns and arrange, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Place cheese slices on bun tops. Grill until cheese melts and bottom halves are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Spread bottom halves with mustard. Top each with a few escarole leaves, then burger. Spoon onions atop burgers, dividing equally. Cover with bun tops; press lightly.

ROASTED FINGERLING POTATO SALAD
Makes 6 servings

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for brushing
1 1/2 pounds 1-inch-diameter fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon coarse-grained Dijon mustard
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped (I omitted this ingredient, but feel free to add if you wish!)

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Brush heavy large rimmed baking sheet with oil. Place potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss. Arrange potatoes, cut side down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast until potatoes are brown on cut side, about 23 minutes. Using tongs, turn potatoes over. Roast until crisp, deep golden, and tender, about 12 minutes longer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stir green onions, parsley, tarragon, vinegar, mustard, and 2 teaspoons oil in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer potatoes to dish. Spoon chopped eggs and herb salad over. Mix if you wish.