The Best Dishes Eater SF Editors Ate This Week: Spring 2023

Joshua Weissman's Butternut Squash Risotto With Pancetta Is 'Creamy, Rich And Incredibly Savory'

When thinking about autumnal dishes, Joshua Weissman was tempted to turn trendy pumpkin spice lattes into a dinner.

"I wanted to make something fall inspired, then I remembered how much I hated the craze around the pumpkin spice latte. And I thought, 'Would it be crazy to do a pumpkin spice risotto?'" says the author of the new Texture Over Taste cookbook. "While it tantalized me for a whopping 4 seconds, I decided to go the route of something a bit more traditional and do a butternut squash risotto."

"Risotto is a great fall dish: warm, creamy, rich and incredibly savory," says the popular YouTuber, who adds fried sage, pancetta and grated cheese to his version. "Plus if you throw in seasonal ingredients like butternut squash to give it a touch of sweetness, it's only going to feel that much more cozy."

While the final result should be decadent, Weissman suggests adjusting the measurements until you get a texture you want. "You may need to use more liquid than called for in the recipe," he says. "Don't be afraid to add extra warm broth if the risotto is too thick."

Cooking spray 1 small butternut squash (about 2 lbs.), halved lengthwise and seeds removed 6 cups chicken stock, divided, plus more as needed 4 oz. Pancetta, diced 8 sage leaves 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tsp. Kosher salt 1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice 2 Tbsp. Cold unsalted butter Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese Freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat oven to 450°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil, and lightly coat with cooking spray. Coat cut sides of squash generously with cooking spray. Place, cut side down, on baking sheet. Bake in oven until very soft, 35 to 40 minutes. 2. Remove squash from oven, and scrape out flesh into a blender; add ½ cup of the chicken stock. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process on high until very smooth and velvety, about 1 minute. Add more stock, if needed, to blend. 3. Cook pancetta in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until very crispy and most of fat has rendered, 8 to 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove pancetta; drain on a paper towel. Increase heat to medium; add sage to drippings in same saucepan. Fry, undisturbed, until crispy, 20 to 30 seconds. Remove and drain on paper towels. 4. Add onion, garlic and salt to drippings in saucepan; cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. 5. In a separate saucepan over medium low, heat remaining 5½ cups chicken stock. 6. Add rice to saucepan with onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until toasted, about 30 seconds. While constantly stirring, ladle in about ⅓ cup hot stock to rice. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Repeat process of adding stock, ⅓ cup at a time and stirring constantly, until rice is cooked to al dente, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in 2 cups of the squash puree; cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off heat; stir in cold butter until glossy and emulsified. 7. Serve immediately topped with crispy sage, pancetta, grated cheese and pepper. Serves: 4Active time: 50 minutesTotal time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Recipe: 1 Kitchen Nashville's Winter Squash Risotto

The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are the perfect time to experiment with cozy cuisine. This decadent dish from 1 Kitchen's Chef Chris Crary is a great way to use seasonal ingredients to create a meal that's warming for the body and soul.

"This dish is really inspired by the season," says Crary. "I really like making dishes that visually describe the season. The risotto turns an orange color and that reminds me of fall going into winter." It's also a great alternative to some of the more common meat-heavy dishes of the season.

"Most people are used to seeing risotto with seafood, this a fun vegetarian twist," he says. "It's also a great way to sneak in veggies for kids." As with all great things, the dish requires a little time and patience, but the results are well worth it.

"When making risotto, be prepared to stand by the stovetop for a little while. This delicate rice dish requires lots of stirring," Crary advises. "I prefer to cook my squash more on the al dente side than mushy. It keeps more of the nutrients in and provides a little more texture." (1hotels.Com/nashville)

Serves 4-6

3 1⁄3 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

3 tbsp olive oil'1 bunch sage leaves removed and rough chopped

Salt and pepper

6 1⁄3 cups vegetable stock

4 tbsp butter

1 onion, finely chopped

8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

3 1⁄4 cups white wine

1 1⁄2 cups Carnaroli Rice

1⁄5 cup parmesan grated

2⁄3 cup Chanterelle or any mushroom you prefer

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, toss the squash in 1 tbsp olive oil together with the chopped sage, salt, and pepper. Place on a sheet tray and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until soft but not mushy. When the squash is cooked, mash half of it to a rough purée and leave the other half whole.

Next, bring the stock to a boil and keep it on a low simmer. In a separate pan, melt half the butter over medium heat. Stir in the onions, garlic, and celery. Cook on low to medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes until soft but not colored, stirring occasionally. Stir the rice into the onions until completely coated in the butter, then stir continuously until the rice is shiny and the edges of the grain start to look transparent. Pour in the wine and simmer until completely evaporated. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring the rice over low heat for 25 to 30 mins, until the rice is cooked al dente. The risotto should be creamy and slightly soupy.

Next, add in your squash puree and stir in. Add the cheese and remaining butter and leave to rest for a few minutes. At the same time, gently fry the whole sage leaves in olive oil until crisp, then set aside on kitchen paper. After the sage comes out, add your mushrooms to the hot pan and sauté until they are soft, add salt and pepper.

Serve the risotto with the whole chunks of squash, crispy sage leaves, sautéed mushrooms, and parmesan on top.

Chef Bobby's Butternut Squash Pasta

Chef Bobby's Butternut Squash Pasta Ingredients • 1 butternut squash weighing about 2 1/2 pounds • 1 pound pasta • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil • 1/3 cup chopped shallots or onions • 1/4 cup packed, freshly grated Parmesan cheese • 1/3 sour cream or heavy Cream or coconut milk • pinch of grated nutmeg • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, for garnish • 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste • Pepper, to taste • Water as needed to thin the sauce, about 1 cup Bake the butternut squash: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the butternut squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the guts and seeds and discard them (or save the seeds and toast them). Pour 1/4 cup of water into a baking dish and place the butternut squash halves cut side down. Bake for 40 minutes or until a fork easily pierces the squash. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Scoop out the squash flesh from the skins and put into a blender. Discard the skins. Sauté the shallots: in the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet until just beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Purée in blender: Add the shallots to the blender. Add 1 cup water, the parmesan, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. If the sauce is too thick, thin it with a little coconut milk or more water. • Add sour cream or coconut milk or cream and heat until warm: Pour the sauce into a small pot set over low heat. Mix in the sour cream and warm it through. Do not let the sauce boil. Cook pasta in boiling salted water: Fill a pot with water and salt (1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of water). Set over high heat to bring to a hard boil. Add the pasta and cook at a hard boil, uncovered until al dente. Do not over cook pasta. Mix cooked pasta with sauce: When the pasta is ready, drain and put it into a bowl. Mix with a little of the sauce and serve. Add a dollop of additional sauce and some parsley right when you bring it to the table. I sautéed sage leaves for a garnish and sprinkled hot pepper seeds. Of course more Parmesan. Chef Bobby Nahra Encore Catering & Banquets Freedom Hill Banquet & Events The Blossom Heath Inn HOOK SCS

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The Best Dishes Eater SF Editors Ate This Week: Spring 2023