Recipe: Butternut squash risotto with sage and coconut

 "Risotto is the dish that keeps on giving" commented one of my Instagram followers when I posted this dish and I couldn't agree more. I've always liked butternut squash but really fell in love with it when I had it as part of a dish at Borough in Leith.  It's always an ingredient chef Darren Murray champions when it comes into season.  I've roasted the squash before hand to impart even more flavour before pureeing half of it and folding it through the risotto. The coconut milk adds to the indulgence and brings another layer of flavour.  

We're going to make this the classic way by constantly stirring to release the starch from the rice, but if you can't be bothered, leaving it to simply simmer will still produce a decent result. 

Ingredients (feeds 4):

1x butternut squash, deseeded and cut into cubes

1x onion, finely diced

1x garlic clove, grated

150mls white wine

250g arborio rice

1/2 tin full fat coconut milk

Bunch of sage leaves, finely chopped

500ml organic chicken stock (or vegetable if vegetarian)

75g grana padano, finely grated

Olive oil

Method:

1) Pre-heat the oven to 180C.  Place the butternut squash on a tray and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with oil and toss to coat.  Place it in the over for 25-30 mins until tender. 

2) Boil the kettle and dissolve the stock cubes the the water.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer.  Meanwhile place a saucepan on a medium heat.

3) Add a good glug of olive oil to the pan.  Gently sweat the onion for 6-7 mins before adding the garlic for a further minute.

4) Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes until you hear a crackling sound.

5) Next, turn the heat up slightly and add the wine.  Cook for around 3 minutes until reduced by 2/3rds.

6) Add a couple of ladles of stock and stir until it's virtually absorbed. Continue this process for around 15 mins then add the coconut milk (reserve a table spoon for the puree), stirring to incorporate.  Add the stock for a further five mins or so, tasting every minute until the rice just has a slight bite to it- Remember: it will continue cooking while resting.

7) At the last minute, puree the roasted squash (this can be done in advance), adding a tablespoon of the coconut milk to loosen. Fold through the rice along with the sage and add grated cheese. Season and rest for two minutes.

8) Spoon into a bowl.  Add the cubes of roasted squash and the rest of the sage