You guys, I have a confession. When it comes to squash, I have always been a butternut snob. Truthfully, I probably haven’t been giving many other squash varieties a fair chance. Last week, however, I discovered the wonders of delicata squash when we got one in our CSA delivery. Delicata squash are yellow with green stripes and have an oval or oblong shape. I’ve always seen them in the store, but never tried one before.
Tim wasted no time getting busy in the kitchen with this one!
Delicata Squash and Farro Risotto
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
- 2 delicata squash, peeled and chopped into quarter-inch cubes
- 2 cups farro
- 5 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In this recipe, you will be working with the farro and squash simultaneously. Before you begin, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and put the broth in a saucepan over low heat. You will also want to soak the farro in water for about 10 minutes.
- Toss the squash with the extra virgin olive oil in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish, and cook for about 10-15 minutes or until fork tender. Make sure to stir/flip the squash halfway through cooking.
- Take the squash out of the oven, and divide the quantity in half. Take one half and purée it in a blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender. Add the water while blending. Note that you might not need all the water depending on the squash you are using. You want to blend until the squash has the consistency of a thick applesauce.
- Drain the farro, and then toast it in a skillet over medium heat. Continuously stir until the farro is dry or you can smell it toasting.
- With a ladle, scoop 2 ladle-fulls of broth into the farro skillet. Stir until the broth begins to evaporate. Once the broth is almost evaporated, add in all the pureed squash, the Parmesan cheese, and the dried rosemary. Continue adding the broth, ladle by ladle, stirring until evaporated, until there is no more broth to add.
- At this point, add in the other half of the squash that wasn’t pureed. Heat until warm, and serve.
- Enjoy!
Tim and I prefer using farro instead of rice to make risotto. Not only is it a healthier option, but the dish can maintain its texture a bit better with the farro, especially for leftovers. This was nice and creamy (I know, I know, gross word alert), and it was a great fall dish for a chilly night. Plus, dinner always tastes better when Tim cooks!
–Let’s chat–
What’s your favorite type of squash? Have you tried delicata before? How do you prefer your risotto?
Lots to do at work today, but Jen is in town tonight! I’m psyched!