Is there anything more fall than that title? I think not.
Sausage, sage, and squash are such classic flavours, there is a reason they belong together. They pair savoury richness with a subtle sweetness, all wrapped up in a blanket of fall. I was truly dreaming about making and eating this dish and was so happy when we invited friends over who would be just as happy to eat this with me. Sometimes a dish lives in my head and watching it come to live is so incredibly satisfying, even more so because I then get to eat it.
Risotto is also such a great place for me to play around with flavours and ingredients because it's a dish and a method I am so comfortable with. It remains one of my favourite dishes to cook and teach because I've learned so many tips and tricks myself along the way. Below I'm sharing some of my favourites!
serves 4-5 as a main course
Ingredients:
1 kabocha squash, washed and quartered, seeds removed (note any squash will work but kabocha has a great flavour)
3 large garlic cloves with skins
olive oil
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
4 fresh sage leaves
salt and pepper
3 large links of Italian sausage, skins removed
1/2 large onion, finely diced into even sized pieces
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
a few fresh sage leaves 1.5 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice (in general I use 1/3 cup per person for a main course, plus a little extra for the pot)
1/2 cup white wine
roughly 1 L chicken or vegetable broth (note you can use water, you will likely just need some extra salt)
about 2 tbsp butter, cubed
about 1/4 cup grated parmigiano
a few tbsp olive oil
enough fresh sage leaves for each plate
more grated parmigiano, to serve
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F and line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat. Wash and cut the squash in half. Scoop out the seeds and cut each half into halves again. Drizzle all over with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and scatter herbs on top. Tuck the whole garlic cloves into the squash cavities. Roast until very soft, about 30-40 minutes.
Once cooked, allow the squash to cool so you can scrape the flesh from the skins. Smash the squash with a fork or potato masher. It doesn't need to be perfectly smooth. Squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins and smash into the squash puree. Set aside.
In a wide pan with high sides, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and crumble with a wooden spoon. Irregular pieces work well here because the smaller bits will get crispier and darker. Cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Meanwhile, keep the broth in a pot over medium heat so it stays warm throughout.
In the same pan, add the diced onions, salt and pepper. Add the fresh sage and thyme. Cook over medium heat until soft and golden but not crisped or deeply browned. Add the rice and toast to coat in the flavours you've developed. This should take about 3 minutes.
Next add the white wine and reduce until the pan is nearly dry again. Add 2-3 ladles of broth and a scoop of squash puree to the rice. This first addition will be your greatest in volume. After this add only about 1 ladle at a time. Stir slowly.
You do not need to stir constantly, or vigorously, but you should not walk away for too long. Every time the rice looks dry, add more broth. The rice should never be completely submerged in broth, but it should never be dry in the pan.
Add a scoop of squash with every few ladles of broth. You will likely not use all of the squash puree. Save the rest for a soup (it will freeze well). You can add as much of the squash as you like, you just want to achieve that beautiful golden colour and get some of that flavour.
Taste as you go for the flavour (do you need salt or squash), and texture (do you need more time?). The goal texture is cooked through but not mushy. We still want the rice to be al dente.
When you're about done, add about 75% of the sausage back to the pan and give a good stir. Turn off the heat and add about 1/4 cup parmigiano and the cubed butter. Place a lid over the pan.
Meanwhile, heat a few tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet. Fry the sage leaves until they are crispy but not too dark. Use a fork to flip them over. You may need to lower the heat as you go along. Transfer to a paper towel lined dish.
Back to your risotto, remove the lid and stir all the melted butter and parmigiano into the finished dish. Give a final taste for salt and texture. You may need to add another bit of broth just before you serve if it has become too stodgy. When you run a wooden spoon through the risotto, the rice should slowly move to cover the path you've just made. If you can make a clear line that doesn't refill, it's too thick. When you scoop the risotto into the serving bowl, it should spread, it should not be stiff.
Top each plate with the remaining sausage, grated parmigiano, and a fried sage leaf.
Voila!
-olivia xo
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