Risotto alla Milanese with Caramelized Squash
A friend made this dish for me and it was a reminder to slow down, yap, and enjoy the small, creamy, Parmigiano-y moments of life. Thus, the Sunday Sawce was born: a series devoted to recipes that take a little longer, taste a lot better, and keep the scares away! Purists will say that this is not Risotto alla Milanese because we’ve added some milk; sure, it’s not quite. But, I encourage you to make little adjustments as you go! See how it’s made here.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the Risotto:
Pinch of saffron
1 ice cube
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp. salted butter
Black pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup 2% milk
2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano (the REAL stuff)
Salt
For the Squash:
2 delicata squash
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt
Black pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. sweet paprika
2 tbsp. maple syrup
Special Tools:
Mortar and pestle
Pastry brush
Make it!
Preheat the oven to 425° F.
Slice the squash into ½ inch thick rounds. Remove the seeds.
In a large bowl, add squash, enough olive oil to coat the squash, 3 pinches salt, a few grinds of pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and sweet paprika. Stir with your hands to coat. Lay out on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast for 15-20 minutes until golden on one side. Flip and roast 10-15 minutes more, or until golden brown. Once ready, remove from the oven and we’ll come back to them at the end for a final kiss in the oven.
Bloom your saffron! In a mortar and pestle, add a pinch of saffron and muddle until it becomes powdery. Add an ice cube and set aside. The ice cube will melt and the saffron will turn to liquid gold.
Go to the bathroom, because you’re about to spend some quality time with this rice. Pour yourself a beverage and let’s get going! Heat a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium. Add butter and melt. Add shallots and garlic, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add your rice. Toast it for 3-4 minutes until the rice becomes slightly translucent, stirring frequently. Add wine and stir until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the saffron liquid and stir.
Alternating between the broth and milk, add about ½ cup of liquid at a time. Stir constantly until the liquid has absorbed and then add another ½ cup. Repeat until the rice has an al dente texture (this could take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes). You will need to taste the rice as you go and you may not use all of the broth, you are the master of your own destiny!! As the rice nears its final additions, brush the squash with maple syrup and pop them back in the oven for 5 minutes to caramelize and get sticky (they should glisten when you pull them out).
As soon as the rice has reached the desired texture, remove it from the heat, add your Parmigiano Reggiano and stir to combine.
Serve immediately. One scoop of risotto, a few squash rounds and a drizzle of the good olive oil. Happy Sunday Sawce!
