Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Somehow, it is already October. And getting towards mid-October. It's still really warm in DC, so it doesn't feel like October. But I panicked a little the other day, thinking about this, because fall is probably my favorite season for cooking, and I have a lot I want to cram in before it's over! So, whatever the temperatures are here, it's time for autumnal cooking.


I think that cooking at this time of year is so rewarding because in addition to a lot of delicious ingredients being in season (squash, apples, pumpkins, etc.), the food is basically all about comfort, or, more explicitly, chilliness and finding comfort in food that's the opposite of chilly.

This dish is a great example. I started out wanting to make a dish with butternut squash and sage, which go really well together, and then started thing about how comforting risotto is, and so decided to do both. I think this recipe definitely delivers on the comforting front; the flavors are very mild, but the combination of the sage and squash flavors with the chewiness of risotto is really nice.

This risotto recipe is also interesting because it uses barley instead of Arborio rice, which is usually used in risotto. (So really this is probably more of a "risotto.") But as barley is a whole grain and Arborio rice is not, this recipe is healthier and uses less-processed ingredients. Barley itself is a little bit of a complicated topic, because there are several different types, but pearled barley, which the recipe calls for, is a little less nutritious than what's called hulled barley, but is probably necessary for this type of a recipe where you're trying to make the barley get really soft.

You can use either water or broth for the liquid, but it's probably more flavorful with at least some broth; I used half broth and half water.







To fall!

Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Serves 6 to 8

1 medium butternut squash
2 C [dry] pearled barley
9-10 sage leaves
salt and pepper
7-8 C of chicken or vegetable stock, or water
1 C white wine
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion
1/2 C Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
2-3 T extra-virgin olive oil

1. Peel the squash and scoop out seeds. Dice into small cubes, and put into a pot with 3-4 whole sage leaves, salt, and 1 C of broth or water. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender, but not too soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onion, garlic, and six chopped sage leaves. Stir constantly for about five minutes, until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the barley to the onions, garlic, and sage, and stir until coated with a sheen. Add the white wine, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.

4. In increments of about 1 C, add the liquid to the barley mixture and stir. Turn down heat if necessary; it should be at a simmer. Wait until almost all of the last cup of liquid has been absorbed before adding next cup, and keep stirring it every few minutes.

5. Returning to the butternut squash: once done, remove sage leaves and set squash aside, covering pot to keep squash warm.

6. Continue to add water to barley mixture until have added about six cups. Once last cup has been added, add squash to mixture and stir. When almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, add the cheese (this can be skipped to make recipe vegan). Continue to stir until all of the liquid has been absorbed.

Adapted from a Chez Panisse Vegetables recipe.