Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash & Kale

Blogging Marathon# 27: Week 3/ Day 7
Theme: Seasonal Dishes - Winter Entree
Dish: Baked Risotto with Butternut Squash & Kale

Winter is not one of my favorite seasons. But over the course of last 10 years, I've started to appreciate the holiday spirit and the festivities that winter brings. I still don't like snow and shoveling. Winter means cozying up in the house with a big bowl of soup and a chunk of bread. But winter also brings the much awaited holidays and tons of yummy and sometimes not so healthy food.

Today I have a risotto recipe that is much easier and faster to make when compared to the traditional stirring method, all you have to do is par-cook the rice on the stove top and then bake it off in the oven until rice is tender and cooked through.

If you have a dutch oven that is oven safe, then this is a one-pot dish that is perfect for any holiday dinner table. If you don't, then transfer to a baking dish after cooking on the stove top.

Recipe is from the cookbook "Meatless" by Martha Stewart Living. For another quick and easy variation for risotto, I have a recipe for pressure cooker risotto here.

Ingredients:
Butternut Squash - 1 medium size, peeled and cubed, about 4 cups
Kale - 1 bunch, tough stems removed and chopped
Red onion - 1 small, finely chopped (or use 2 shallots)
Arborio Rice - 1½cups
Vegetable Stock - 4cups
Garlic - 2 cloves
Red pepper flakes - ½tsp (or to taste)
Fresh Thyme leaves - 1tsp
Dry white Wine - ½cup (I didn't use any wine)
Parmesan cheese - for sprinkling on top (optional)
Salt and Pepper - to taste

Method:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. 
• In a medium oven safe dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pan, heat 2tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. 
• Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until edges are translucent, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is completely absorbed, about 2 minutes.
• Add butternut squash and stock, bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in Kale.
• Cover with lid (or with parchment, then foil); transfer to oven, and bake until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 20 minutes. 
• Serve hot, sprinkled with cheese.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up for BM# 27