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Squash Blossom Risotto

Source of Recipe

August 25, 2010 by Jen W.


List of Ingredients

Cleaning squash blossoms

Remove the spiny, green outer leaves Then, reach inside the blossom and remove the stamen.

Summer Squash and Squash Blossom Risotto
Adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

THE TOMATOES
1 pound or more of ripe yellow tomatoes
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
A couple of springs of thyme, leaves removed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt

THE RICE
1 pound bright yellow squash
5 to 6 cups vegetable stock (see recipe below)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small pat of butter
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 1/2 cups rice (Though Arborio rice is usually found in risotto, I used a combination of brown and jasmine rice)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2cup freshly grated Romano cheese
A handful of squash blossoms, cut into slivers (the recipe calls for 20 to 30; I only had 14)
Chopped basil and/or parsley

Cut the tomato walls (sides) into small neat pieces and finely mince the cores. Put them in a bowl with the garlic, herbs, oil, and a few pinches of salt and set aside.

Cut the yellow squash into a small dice, about twice as large as the grains of rice. Note: Here is what 1 pound, 2 ounces of squash looks like:

Heat the oil in a wide pot. Add the onion and squash and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the squash beings to color. (I don’t have a wide pot, so I made my risotto in a wok. The squash didn’t brown because of the wok’s small surface area, but otherwise the wok worked well.)

Add rice and a small pat of butter and stir to coat the rice in the butter. Pour in the wine and simmer until it’s absorbed, then add ½ cup stock and simmer until it’s absorbed. Keep adding stock in 1/2 cup increments until the rice is cooked, using 5 to 6 cups in all.

Summer squash risotto

Turn off the heat and stir in the tomatoes and cheese. Stir in the squash blossoms, taste for salt, and season with pepper. (I’m usually generous with salt, but I didn’t think the risotto needed much.)

Top with chopped basil, parsley, and, if you like, a bit of grated cheese.

Vegetable Stock:

1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery ribs, including leaves
2 cloves of garlic
8 springs of parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 quarts of water (8 cups)

Heat oil in a large pan or wok.

Cut the onion, carrots, and celery into big chunks. Then add them, along with the garlic and parsley, to the pan to brown. (If you want a lighter stock, skip this browning step, and don’t use any oil.)

Then add two quarts/eight cups of water to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 25 to 40 minutes. Strain out the vegetables.



Recipe