butternut squash risotto

Thanksgiving is just one week away. One week! So shocking. I have a list of recipes queued up and ready for you all, all dishes that would accompany a roasted turkey beautifully. In order to get them out to you in time for your big trip to the grocery store, I am going to march them out day after day through Monday. 5 recipes in 5 days. I do believe that will be a new record here at Bella Eats!

I am starting with a Fall staple in our house. Butternut squash is the very first Autumn ingredient that I buy each September, always in anticipation of this recipe. If we were hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house again this year I would absolutely put this creamy dish on our menu, and can't quite figure out why it has never made it there before. I think it would make a great substitute for the sweet potato casserole that typically winds up on the table. Especially because I just discovered my favorite sweet potato dish ever, and its a dessert, and I don't think I could take two sweet potato courses in one meal. Don't worry, I'll be sharing that one too.

I tried something new this time, adding mushroom broth to the risotto instead of standard vegetable. We loved the earthy depth it added, and have permanently altered our recipe. If you don't have mushroom base, vegetable or chicken broth is good too.

Butternut Squash Risotto

serves 4 for main course, 6-8 as a side

Ingredients

• 1 small butternut squash, about 1.5 pounds
• 2-3 tbsp butter, divided
• 8 fresh sage leaves
• 1 medium onion, diced, about 1 cup
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-½ cups arborio rice
• ½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 6-7 cups broth made with better than bouillon mushroom base (vegetable if you don't have it)
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• salt + pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.  Cut the butternut squash in half and scoop out the seeds.  Lay the halves cut-side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.  Place a thin sliver of butter inside the bowl of each half, and another on the flat part of the squash.  Place a small sage leaf over top of each sliver of butter.  Sprinkle with sea salt and fresh pepper.  Roast the squash for 20-30 minutes, until a fork can pierce the flesh with only a bit of resistance.
2. Remove the squash from the oven and set aside to cool until you can handle it comfortably.  Use a small paring knife to peel the skin from the squash, and dice it into ½-inch chunks.  Set aside.
3. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and let sauté for about 3 minutes, until it is starting to soften.  Add the garlic and the rest of the sage leaves and sauté for an additional 3 minutes.  Add the arborio rice and stir to combine for 1 minute, until the rice starts to crackle.  De-glaze the pan with the white wine, stirring to get any brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.  Add the squash and stir so that it is evenly distributed with the rice.
4. Add broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly so that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan, and only adding the next ladle when the previous has been absorbed.  Continue until all broth is gone and rice is creamy, about 25 minutes.
5. Add the remaining butter (about 1 tbsp) to the pan, along with the parmesan cheese, and stir until distributed evenly.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Charlottesville and Richmond folks...Relay Foods beat me again! Richmond, your one-click recipe is here, and Charlottesville yours is here.

a meal for summer's end

The final days of summer are upon us.  Already I've worn a scarf, contemplated tights, and polished my boots. The weather this Sunday past was Perfect (yes, with a capital 'P')...temperature in the upper sixties, sunny skies, a crisp breeze. Our windows have been flung wide open, the air conditioner *hopefully* retired until next June.  Brian happily gave our lawn what he wishes to be its last cut, and I've planted the garden beds full with beets, carrots, collards, and lettuce.  We're ready...for Fall festivals, warm jackets, rosy cheeks, mulled cider, creamy soups, firey leaves, golden light, and crisp air.

As a send-off to Summer we're embracing her end-of-season bounty.  There are still local peppers and corn to be had and I, ever the fan of fresh, local corn, am consuming as much as I possibly can until it is gone.  We've had corn chowder, corn pancakes, cornmeal cake.  And now, perhaps my favorite thus far, corn bread stuffing laced with green chilies. And alongside that, a roast chicken stuffed with local plums and nectarines.  The perfect meal for these last Summer days, when cooler temperatures have us craving warm and comforting fare at their end.

I expected the stuffing to be very, very spicy, but was pleasantly surprised by the mild heat the chilies provide. Still, if you have an aversion to spice, consider substituting anaheim peppers for the jalapenos.

Roast Chicken with Summer or Fall Fruit

serves 2-4, depending on the size of the bird

Ingredients

• one fresh, organic, whole chicken (this bird was about 2.5 lbs)
• a few tablespoons of canola oil
• salt + pepper
• 12 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2-4 nectarines, peachs, or plums (or a mix of all three) cut into wedges (and, when Fall hits full-force, this would be delicious with apples, too)

Method

1. The morning you are planning to cook the bird for dinner, rub him down with oil. Work your fingers between the skin and meat of the bird's thighs and breast, separating the two to form pockets for the herbs. Stuff the thyme underneath the skin in as many places as you can, reserving a few sprigs. Finally, rub the bird thoroughly with salt and pepper, over top and underneath the skin. Refrigerate the bird until you're ready to cook him.
2. Preheat your oven to 325° and place a rack in the middle. Lay the remaining thyme sprigs in the center of a medium cast iron pan. Place the bird, breast-side up, on top of the thyme. Stuff as many fruit wedges as you can inside of the cavity, and lay the rest in the pan around the bird.
3. Cook the chicken for 45 minutes, then remove from oven and turn him over. Cook for another 45 minutes, remove from oven, and turn him again. Make a small incision in the breast to see if the meat is cooked through, white and not pink. For a small bird, 90 minutes is about all you need. If you're cooking a larger bird, he will take longer. Just keep turning him every 45 minutes until the meat is white and the interior juices run clear.
4. When the chicken is done, turn the oven to broil. Place the chicken, breast side up, back in the oven on the middle rack.  Broil until the skin browns and crisps, about 5 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the pan, retaining the juices and fruit in the pan. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before carving him.
6. Bring the juices and fruit to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the juice is reduced to a thicker glaze. Spoon the glaze and fruit over top of the carved chicken, on individual plates.

Corn Bread Stuffing with Green Chilies

adapted from bon appétit

serves 10

Ingredients

• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 cups fresh poblano chilies, seeded, chopped
• 6 small jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
• 6 ears corn, kernels removed from cobs
• 1-1/4 cups chopped green onions
• Buttermilk Corn Bread, 1 day old (recipe below)
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2-1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the chilies and saute until they begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in half of the corn and all of the green onions. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Coarsely crumble the day-old cornbread into the bowl and mix together.
2. Blend the rest of the corn, the eggs, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until you have a course puree. Stir the puree into the stuffing mixture.
3. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter a 13x9x2 or a 10x10x2 baking dish. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the baking dish and pat down into dish. Butter a piece of aluminum foil and place the foil, butter side down, over the stuffing. Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.  Uncover the dish and bake until the stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Corn Bread

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. 
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the buttermilk, and then whisk in the eggs.
3. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk mixture.  Transfer batter to the buttered baking pan.
4. Bake corn bread until edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Cover the pan tightly and store at room temperature for at least one day, and up to two days.

Those of you local to Charlottesville or Richmond: I've been providing Relay Foods with recipes and photography for some time now.  I typically try to post recipes here, on Bella Eats, prior to their appearance on Relay, but have been a little swamped lately.  So, this means that if you're interested in adding the ingredients for the Corn Bread Stuffing with Green Chilies to your Relay order with just one click, you can do so here.

red beet risotto

I do believe that beets are my very favorite spring vegetable. They are quickly overshadowed by tomatoes in Summer, but in May and June I could eat beets every other day. Typically I am a fan of simply roasting the globes and tossing them on a salad with chevre and a light vinaigrette. But every now and then, when I am feeling the need for something a bit more toothy and substantial I'll whip up a batch of risotto. I love the sweetness that roasted beets lend to the savory dish, and of course the vibrant hue that even a picky toddler wouldn't be able to resist.

I"ll admit...I've already written about red beet risotto here, years ago, when we were growing beets in our very own garden. The recipe has changed a bit, and the photographs have certainly improved, but I still love that first post because of its words about our little veggie patch. We're still growing beets this year, although out on Maple Hill Farm rather than just to the side of our house. And this recipe is still a favorite, one that I felt was appropriate to bring up again now that we're at the height of beet season here in Charlottesville. Plus, I just couldn't resist the urge to re-photograph the dish in all of its neon-pink glory, in proper lighting, with less distraction. It deserves to be the star of the show!

These days, I'm adding the beet greens directly to the risotto, rather than cooking them up on the side. They don't add much flavor to the dish, but I do like the additional texture and all of the nutrients packed into the deep green leaves. Thanks to the New York Times for that little suggestion.

Red Beet Risotto

from the new york times

serves 4 as a main course

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound beets (1 small bunch of 3 to 4)
• 1 bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed (from your beets, if fresh and unwilted. leave them out if they are past their prime)
• 6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups arborio rice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. First, roast the beets. Preheat your oven to 400°. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, until the beets are easily pierced with a fork.  Remove from oven and allow to cool, then peel and dice the beets.  The skin should slide off easily.
2. Slice the greens into 1-inch strips, set aside.
3. Place the stock in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
4. In a large, wide, heavy-bottom saute pan, heat the oil over medium. Add the onion and stir while cooking until it starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and the garlic and stir while cooking until the rice is separate and starting to crackle, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. When the wine has just about evaporated, add in 1 ladleful of stock (about 1/2 cup) just to cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat). Cook, stirring occasionally, until the stock is nearly absorbed, then add another ladleful. Continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is dry, for about 10 minutes.
6. Stir in the diced beets and sliced greens. Add more stock and continue cooking as before, for another 10-15 minutes, adding stock when the rice is dry. The rice should be tender but not mushy, with no hardness at the middle. When it has reached the correct consistency, season with salt + pepper. Add the parmesan cheese and the parsley, and stir to combine. The rice should be creamy, if it is not, add another 1/2 cup of stock.
7. Adjust seasonings and serve.

mushroom barley risotto

Happy Friday, friends! What are you up to this weekend? We will be getting our hands dirty in our garden, prepping the beds for a sprinkling of lettuce seeds to hit the soil next week. So exciting! Nothing says "Spring!" like a Saturday spent in the yard. I've got my fingers crossed, hoping that the blue sky I see outside of my window sticks around!

Looking ahead at all of the fresh, green produce arriving in the next couple of months made me realize that I've been holding out on you. I really couldn't let Winter completely slip away without sharing this favorite recipe with you all. This hearty little risotto has made an appearance on our table multiple times these last few months and we just can't seem to get enough of it! In fact, there are leftovers in the refrigerator right now, and I am very much looking forward to lunch.

Mushrooms and I got along very well this Winter. That's a change for me, as I've never been a big fan of the stinky fungi. Not that I had anything against them, but I didn't actively seek them out for recipes. Something happened this year, though, and I found myself picking up a half-pound of fresh Cremini mushrooms nearly every week. Usually they were for this risotto, but also for empanadas, and veggie burgers, and a lasagna I haven't yet shared. What I love about the mushrooms in this recipe is that they really are the perfect mate for barley, which replaces the arborio rice typically found in risotto. Both lend an earthiness to the dish that you expect, but they also complement each other texturally. The barley remains a bit firm, providing the slightest resistance as you chew, while the mushrooms are silky and smooth and nearly melt on the tongue. The whole process is relatively quick and simple, not requiring the constant stirring like a traditional risotto, but also makes an impressive side dish for company.

Enjoy the weekend...get outside!

Mushroom Barley Risotto

serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 8 ounces cleaned and sliced crimini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and chopped
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Method

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Saute' onion until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add all mushrooms and saute' until golden brown, about 10 minutes, adding 1 to 3 tbsp water if they start to stick.
3. Stir in herbs and garlic, then add barley and stir for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. 
4. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove lid and add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed, until barley is tender but still slightly firm. You may not use all of the broth, but you will use most of it. This whole process, from the time you add the first broth, should take 35-40 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and add butter and cheese, stirring until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.