Recipe - Risotto Di Zucca

3 cup Onions, yellow; cut or sliced up
1 md Kabocha squash; cubed*
1 One half tablespoon Olive oil
1 tablespoon Butter
1 Clove garlic; chopped
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon Sage, dried
5 cup Vegetable broth
1 One half cup Arborio rice
One fourth cup Marsala wine
Three fourths cup White wine
1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
Fresh ground black pepper
One fourth cup Parmesan cheese; grated

* 2 One fourth pounds, or about 34 cups cubed. If kabocha squash is unavailable,
you can use buttercup squash, one of the hubbards, or a couple of acorn
squashes. Avoid the blander varieties such as butternut and banana squashes
~ you want rich, sweet flavor for this.

Peel the onions and cut them in quarters, then slice them crosswise. Peel
the Kabocha squash, cutting away any darkgreen parts, seed it, and cut the
firm yellow flesh into 1/2inch cubes.

Heat the oil and butter in a large, preferably nonstick saute pan. Add the
onions and chopped garlic and stir over high heat for 34 minutes, then add
the cubed squash, salt, and sage. Continue cooking on mediumhigh heat,
stirring often, until the vegetables are spotted with golden brown and the
squash is becoming tender about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the
vegetable broth to a simmer.

Add the rice to the squash mixture and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add
the Marsala, stir quickly as it cooks away, then add the white wine.

When the wine has all been absorbed, add about a cup of the hot broth,
along with the balsamic vinegar. Lower the heat to a simmer and stir the
risotto gently with a wooden spoon. As the broth is absorbed, add another
ladle, and then another, always keeping the rice moist, and stirring
constantly or at least very often. Some of the squash will fall apart into
a puree.

Use as much broth as you need to achieve rice that is al dente, tender but
firm, with a creamy sauce around it. It will take about 30 minutes, but
start tasting after 20 minutes.

At that point, correct the seasoning with a touch more salt and some pepper
if needed, and stir in about One fourth cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Add another
One half ladle of broth, stir well, and serve at once in warmed, shallow bowls.
Garnish each serving with slivers of fresh basil, and pass more Parmesan
cheese separately.

Source: "The New Vegetarian Epicure" by Anna Thomas
Posted to MMRecipes Digest V3 #266

Date: Sun, 29 Sep 1996 02:18:05 +0000

From: Linda Place placel@worldnet.att.net