Please post your desi and non-desi recipes and cooking ideas for butternut squash.
Thanks in advance.
I like to make butternut squash sage risotto! Risotto is an Italian rice dish with a creamy texture. I use a basic risotto method (saute arborio rice in a wide, deep pan, then add about 1 cup of chicken or vegetable stock at a time, letting it get absorbed each time and stirring constantly before adding the next cup.) Then at the end, when the rice has cooked through, I add in some roasted, cubed butternut squash, parmesan cheese, and lots of chopped sage that has been fried in butter. Yum! If anyone is interested in a full recipe I can put something more 'professional' together and post.
Re: Need help with Butternut Squash!
^yes please.
Kewl. I'm at work right now but tonight when I get home I'll dig out my recipe and post. :) I might have a couple of other ideas kicking around as well.
OK, here’s a risotto recipe I found online that matches what I do at home:
Found at the following link and edited to match my home recipe:
Butternut Squash Sage Risotto
**Ingredients**
1 large butternut squash
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
about 15 sage leaves, chopped
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
400g/14oz arborio or other Italian risotto rice
1 litre/1¾ pint hot chicken or vegetable stock
good handful of freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve
**Method**
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.
- Cut the butternut squash into cubes, removing the seeds, and place in a greased roasting tray. Pound or chop the garlic and add a splash of olive oil, half the sage leaves, and a sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour over the squash cubes, tossing them to ensure they get coated. Roast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until softened and becoming golden in colour.
- Once the squash has cooked, cool slightly and keep in a covered bowl next to your stovetop.
- Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep, heavy-based frying pan or saute pan. Gently fry the onion until softened. Add the rice and stir for about a minute until the grains are coated with the oil and butter. Add a good ladle (about 1.5 cups) of hot stock; turn heat to medium so that the stock simmers gently. Stir constantly until the stock has been almost completely absorbed into the rice. Then add another ladle of stock, again constantly stirring the rice. Continue to repeat for about 15-20 minutes; the rice should be soft but still have a bit of bite left in it. The texture of the risotto should be thick and creamy, but not too loose. Add extra stock if necessary.
- Once rice has reached desired consistency, turn heat to very low. Gently stir the roasted butternut squash into the risotto with the parmesan, the remaining sage and add salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto seems too thick you can add any extra stock. If you wish to make the texture even creamier, turn off the heat and cover with a lid for a couple of minutes.
- For a garnish, you can sprinkle fresh parmesan over the top of the risotto, chopped fried sage leaves (fry in butter to bring out the best taste), a ligth drizzle of olive oil, or a handful of roasted pinenuts.
Risotto tastes wonderful on its own or can be served with roasted meat (cornish game hen would go really nicely with this version) and/or a small crisp green salad.
Hareem, butternut squash can also be substituted for sweet potato or pumpkin in most recipes. You can make both sweet and savory dishes with it---if you like pumpkin pie, you can make a very similar pie substituting butternut squash (don't have a recipe handy, but a quick internet search would certainly turn something up.)
Squash also really pairs nicely with lamb. I made a Moroccan style stew once (didn't use a recipe, just improvised) where I threw together stew lamb, chopped roasted garlic, some cubed butternut squash, and a generous amount of cumin and it was yuuuuummmmmmyyyy. A really nice winter dish, and really nice served with warm crusty bread!
You could also cut squash into wedges, like potato wedges, sprinkle generously with butter, powdered chili, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and then roast at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes until tender. Makes a nice side with roasted meat or pan-fried steak, or even a nice alternative to french fries to serve with homemade burgers.
I know none of these ideas are very diet friendly, but they all make delish occasional treats. :)
Re: Need help with Butternut Squash!
Jazakillah khair NYCGori....all the ideas sound great, I'll try and let you know inshaAllah.
I'll be ordering for butternut squash next week.
Re: Need help with Butternut Squash!
Not exactly a recipe, but I like baked butternut squash in place of a baked potato.