Butternut Squash Risotto

Yes, it's just another risotto recipe, but a reminder of how delicious and how easy risotto is to make. The squash and fresh thyme make the dish. Preparing the squash takes knife skills - another simple thing to get comfortable with, that will lead to many very rewarding dishes.

Cutting (mise en place, mise en place, mise en place, safety first, and pardon my carpentry terms):
The squash is a bit unweildy and it should be quite firm. 1/4" is the thickness of a carpenter's pencil or half of the thickness of a piece of drywall. I halved the the butternut squash width-wise, placed the flat side on the cutting board and pushing downward sliced off the rind, piece by piece, rotating after each cut. (Similar to how one would slice the rind off of a grapefruit.) Then, slice the squash into 1/4" boards, always keeping the largest flat surface on the cutting surface. With a small stack of boards, make 1/4" matchsticks, and again collecting several of the matchsticks, make 1/4" cubes.

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 medium butternut squash (about 1 lb), peeled and cut into 1/4-in. pieces
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup grated Romano (1 oz), plus more for serving

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the squash is beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the wine and simmer until absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Add half the broth (1 3/4 cups) and simmer, stirring once, until absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add the remaining broth and simmer, stirring once, until the rice is tender and creamy and the broth has been absorbed, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the thyme and Romano. Serve with additional Romano, if desired.

http://www.womansday.com/Recipes/Butternut-Squash-Risotto-Recipe