Risotto… this word always makes me hungry !!!

Beetroot, asparagus or mushroom risotto, they are all delicious ! However being obsessed with the pumpkin season and especially butternut squash I had to try this seasonal, orange coloured one !

Risotto is a warm, nourishing and comfy meal that is ideal for autumn/winter days.

It is a perfect idea for both lunch and dinner. Moreover,  you can put it in your lunch box and enjoy during your break at school or work. I love the fact that it is really easy to prepare and will last us for more than one meal, meaning it’s convenient for people who struggle with time to cook something every day !

Many recipes, many different methods ! Some people add wine while cooking, some base on vegetable brew, others cannot imagine risotto without cheese. The fact is that we decide on the ingredients we want to include, and how to enrich the taste of our risotto. I wanted to make it really simple and easy for everyone to prepare, but at the same time really delicious and filling ! My secret is to add various spices and herbs while cooking, resulting in the rice becoming more aromatic and tasteful !

The best recipe for comfy butternut squash risotto is right down below ! Check it out !

INGREDIENTS:

• Arborio Rice (best for risotto)
• Butternut Squash
• Red Pepper
• Spices (Turmeric Powder, Cayene Pepper, Thyme, Ramson (wild garlic), Salt & Nigela Seeds )
• Roasted Black Sesame Seeds
• Plant Oil (for cooking)
• Olive Oil (for serving)

METHOD: 

Preheat the oven to 200 celsius degrees and bake a peeled, cored and halved butternut  squash (upside down) for approximately 30-40 min until it becomes soft. After having it roasted, blend it into a pulp. (You can make it whenever you want and store it in the fridge to always have a good base for your risotto).

Place a pinch of turmeric powder and cayenne pepper with a spoon of plant oil in the warm pan. Add the rice and finely mix it together until the rice becomes transparent. Put the boiling water or the vegetable brew (if you prefer) gradually and let your rice to cook for about 10 min. Control your rice, adding some more water as overtime it evaporates to make the rice fully cooked. When the rice start to become softer, put a few spoons of butternut squash pulp (the more you add the more intense the taste will be) and add a pinch of salt, nigella seeds, thyme and ramson. Mix everything finely and leave it to cook for a few more minutes. At the end you can keep on stirring to make the risotto more creamy.

*To enrich your taste you can add more spices or put some more herbs instead of thyme.

TO SERVE:

Place it in a bowl, sprinkle the olive oil and squeeze a lemon. Serve with roasted pepper and black sesame seeds, as I did as well as with pumpkin or other different seeds. Add what you like the most ! Fresh herbs on the top are also a good idea !

Enjoy your delicious seasonal risotto ! Hope you like it 🙂