This was an interesting one. It’s another Ina Garten recipe, I really am in love with her food lately. I could eat roasted pieces of butternut squash all day long, like candy. So I’ve been wanting to try out some fall recipes with its yumminess full center. This recipe had kind of a crazy flavor. It’s very savory with bits of sweet squash. There were lots of comments left about this recipe on Food Network saying it was too salty and yet also bland at the same time. I could see that as it was cooking, so I actually more than doubled the amount of white wine called for in the recipe and kept the pancetta (I used bacon) at the amount used for the full recipe (this is halved for 2). That mellowed out the flavor and made it taste a little more sophisticated, but I couldn’t really taste the saffron. Adam really liked it, and I did as well. But I might try another recipe for this sometime to compare.
Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash Risotto (adapted for 2 and for my kitchen)
Half a butternut squash (about 1 lb)
1 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (I used pre-made, this may be part of the lack of flavor people mentioned)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces bacon, diced
1/4 cup minced shallots
3/4 cups Arborio rice (5 ounces)
1 to 1.5 cups dry white wine (to taste)
.5 teaspoon saffron threads
.5 cup freshly grated Parmesan
