Fall Risotto

I bought a huge bag of brussels sprouts yesterday, so if you see the little guys appearing in, well, every single dish this week, don’t hold it against me, mk?

Fall Risotto with Roasted Brussels Sprouts in an Acorn Squash Puree:

What it took:

* 20 brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and halved

* 1 acorn squash, cut in half, peeled and cut into 1 inch strips

* 1 cup arborio rice

* 1/4 cup dry white wine or vermouth

* 1/2 a medium onion, diced

* 3 Tbs. butter, divided

* 4 cups organic low sodium chicken broth

* dash of grated nutmeg

* fresh thyme and rosemary

* 1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

* 1/4th cup freshly shaved parmesan cheese

* kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat your oven to 400. Place the brussels sprouts and acorn squash on baking sheet. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with herbs. Roast for about 25 to 30 minutes. Once complete, remove sprouts and cover to keep warm. Place the roasted squash and 1 Tbs. butter in food processor. Blend until smooth. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and 1 Tbs. butter. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the arborio rice and stir to coat with oil. This allows the rice to toast just a tiny bit. Add the vermouth and listen to the nice sizzle. Once the alcohol has burned off, add the squash puree and mix to combine. While you’re doing this, have a small saucepan heated with the broth at a low simmer. At this point, ladle a cup of the broth into the rice. Let the rice soak up the liquid. You’ll continue to ladle the broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring the rice often as it soaks up the liquid. This will take about 30 minutes. Once the rice has reached a creamy texture, you’re almost done. Add the last Tbs. butter and cheese, taste and season with salt and pepper. Finally top with the brussels sprouts and sprinkle with more fresh herbs. Oh, and more cheese. Then cry.