Roasted Butternut Squash Brown Butter Sage Risotto

Roasted butternut squash risotto is the perfect dish for the beginning of the fall season!  You can usually find pre-cut butternut squash at most supermarkets - which is much easier than cutting your own.  Start by roasting it at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes.  I like using garlic olive oil for even more flavor!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of pre-cut butternut squash
• 1 large white or yellow onion & 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of arborio rice (double for larger recipe)
• about 3 cups of chicken broth
• dry white wine
• sage & parsley
• parmesan cheese & butter

Chop up a white or yellow onion and sauté.  Add in garlic once the onions have cooked a bit, as garlic can burn easily.  After the onions and garlic cook, add the arborio rice (the risotto).  Cook that with the onions and garlic until the rice is translucent.  Then add about a cup of your favorite cooking white wine and reduce that down while stirring constantly.  Heat up chicken broth in a separate pot and bring that to a simmer.   

Keep adding a ladle full of broth to the arborio rice and stir until it absorbs completely.  Stir the whole time while adding the broth.  The good news here is that you can drink wine with one hand while stirring with the other!  That's my favorite part!  Once all of the broth is absorbed, taste it to make sure it's not too al dente.  Then add the roasted butternut squash.

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Now for the brown butter & sage portion of this risotto.  In a separate pan, heat up butter and then add sage.  Keep it at a simmer while you fry the sage leaves.  This infuses the sage flavor into the butter, while creating a fantastic garnish with the fried sage leaves.  Keep an eye on the butter to make sure that it browns, but doesn't burn.  Take out the fried sage leaves and add the brown butter to the risotto.

Chop up the sage you didn't use in the butter and some parsley and add to the risotto.  Stir in a cup of parmesan cheese and you're all set!

Add a fried sage leaf to the top of each bowl of risotto.  The leaves have amazing flavor and a fantastic crispy texture that makes this dish extra special.  Serve with a glass of chardonnay and enjoy!!!