Of Mice and Butternut Squash
22 Monday Oct 2012
Written by C C Cedras in Drinkies & Snackies (Recipes), Uncategorized
Tags
bacon, Butternut squash, C. C. Cedras author, cooking, food, friends, gardening, gluten free, herbs, parmigiano, recipes, Sea salt
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I’ve got a few words to say about cooking with fresh-from-the-garden butternut squash. Got staff? Make them cut it into 1/4 inch dice. Just sayin’.
[Heaving a heavy sigh] I learn. Really. No, really. Every year, every garden teaches me new things. Butternut squash can be bought at the farmer’s market, or Kroger’s. I do not have to grow it myself, and, oh by the way, it’s frickin’ hard to cut up. Into 1/4 inch dice. I type with hands and wrists that are in pain. Such a delicate flower.
OKAY! Complaining over, let me say that this recipe is to kill for and I send you right now to Fine Cooking’s website to admire it for yourself.
I even remembered to take a photo before I ate it this time!
Let me add that you could make this recipe vegetarian by leaving out the bacon, the flavors are that good. Could you make it vegan by leaving out the parmigiano? … … Nah. I wouldn’t, but I’m not a vegan and maybe those of you who are are used to living without parmigiano cheese? [Passes out hugs.]
By the way, on the side are slices of a luscious tomato — the last of the season — a “Big Rainbow Striped Tomato”, dressed with some extra virgin olive oil, some basil that was a “volunteer” in the garden late this summer and still a lovely plant and sprinkled with some red Alaea sea salt. You can find the heirloom tomato seeds at my drug dealer of choice, Kitchen Garden Seeds. The red sea salt? Das Foods on Amazon.
A swell wine pairing for this risotto is Sonoma Cutrer, Russian River Ranches chardonnay. Buon appetito!
C C Cedras
K R Brorman
S A Young
3 Comments
October 22, 2012 at 5:40 pm
I cannot WAIT to attempt this. I’m thinking instead of wrestlinng with the squash and a knife – it could get ugly – I’ll hand the squash and a tenner to the butcher and have him do it. Perhaps this dish will be on the menu during the next mountain retreat? *hint hint*
October 22, 2012 at 7:45 pm
This dish can totally be on the menu of the next mountain retreat …. 1/4 inch dice, my dear. 😉
October 23, 2012 at 1:03 am
At my higher end grocery I can sometimes find diced butternut, freshness may be an issue but the bloodletting may be reduced. I’m excited to try this too. I think it will be a first for my family. I do not count old fashioned broccoli-rice casserole as “risotto substitute” LOL YES! I’ve heard the comparison.