Giada De Laurentiis Butternut Squash And Vanilla Risotto Recipes

BEET RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place a small braiser or medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the hot pan and melt. Add the shallot, fennel, beet and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and the vegetables are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat the in butter and oil mixture and toast slightly, about 3 more minutes. Deglaze with the sherry vinegar and season with the remaining salt. Begin adding the broth, 1 cup at a time, stirring often. Cook, stirring, after each addition until the broth is almost completely absorbed, continuing with the remaining broth until the risotto is creamy, cooked through and still moves slightly when spooned onto a plate. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan until melted. Serve with crumbled gorgonzola on top.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the squash and toss to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the water into the skillet and then cover and simmer over medium heat until the squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly and then transfer the squash to a food processor. Add the amaretti cookies and blend until smooth. Season the squash puree, to taste, with more salt and pepper.
• Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the nutmeg. Cool slightly. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender*. Add the basil and blend until smooth. Return the basil sauce to the sauce in the pan and stir to blend. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spread 3/4 cup of the sauce over the prepared baking dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan. Spread 1/3 of the squash puree over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese. Drizzle 1/2 cup of sauce over the noodles. Repeat layering 3 more times.
• Tightly cover the baking dish with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses over the lasagna. Continue baking uncovered until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 minutes longer. Let the lasagna stand for 15 minutes before serving.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH FONTINA CHEESE CROSTINI

Steps:

• In an 8-quart stockpot, add the butter and oil and melt together over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the squash and the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the sage. Continue to boil until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth and thick. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Keep the soup warm over low heat.
• For the crostini: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sage. Sprinkle the cheese on top and season with salt, to taste. Bake until the cheese has melted and the bread is light golden, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the cheese crostini.
• Cook's Note: The cooked vegetable mixture can also be pureed (after cooling for about 5 minutes) by ladling, in batches, into a food processor or blender and blended until smooth.

SAVORY BUTTERNUT SQUASH CROSTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Scatter the squash and onions on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well to coat evenly.
• Roast until the squash is tender all the way through and the onions are soft and turning golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Unroll the pie crust onto a nonstick baking sheet. Crumble half of the cheese over the crust, leaving a 2-inch border. Top with the roasted onions and then shingle with the squash in circles. Fold the crust borders up and over the filling, crimping every 2 inches or so. Sprinkle the exposed squash with the pistachios and the remaining cheese.
• Bake until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with the arugula and pomegranate seeds.
• Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

GIADA DE LAURENTIIS' BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND VANILLA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Warm the broth over med-high heat in med saucepan. Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds into broth, drop bean in broth.
• When broth comes to simmer, reduce heat to low. Add butternut squash to the simmering broth and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer squash to a side dish. Turn heat on broth to very low and cover to keep warm.
• In a large sauce pan melt 2 tbsp butter and add onion (med heat). Saute for 3 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat with butter. Add wine and simmer until wine is almost evaporated, about 3 min. Add 1/2 cup of simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 min. Continue cooking rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the broth to absorb before adding the next - typical risotto cooking method here. Rice will be tender but still firm to bite and mixture should be creamy - about 20 min total. Discard vanilla bean.
• Turn off heat under risotto and any remaining broth. Gently stir in butternut squash, Parm, tbsp butter, and salt. Transfer to serving bowl/s and garnish with chives. Serve immediately.