Diane's Butternut Squash and Portabella Risotta

Included In Cookbook:

Ingredients

For the Garnish

Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)

For the Rice

1 cup

Dry White Wine

2 cups

Vegetable Broth

2 teaspoons

Saffron Threads

4 tablespoons

Earth Balance Buttery Stick

1 teaspoon

Garlic (minced)

Large Shallot (minced)

2 cups

Shitake Mushrooms (thinly sliced)

1 cup

Arborio Rice (rinsed and drained)

4 tablespoons

Soy Mozzarella Cheese (grated)

For the Vegetables

2-lb. Butternut Squash (roasted and cubed except for 4 roasted sections if you intend to fill them)

Medium Size Sweet Peppers (seeded, halved lengthwise, and roasted)

Portabella Mushrooms (cleaned, stems and gills removed, and roasted)

Olive Oil (for roasted vegetables)

Salt and Freshly-ground Pepper (to taste)

Description

This is an especially yummy risotto you can eat alone or, for a special touch, use to fill roasted sweet peppers, portabellas, and sections of the roasted squash itself. In the photo, we show you a sample of each, which served individually or in combination makes for a stunningly appealing platter. Make sure to use Arborio rice and stir diligently to get that creamy texture that is the hallmark of risotto.

Summary

Yield	Servings
Prep time	1 hour
Cooking time	1 hour
Total time	2 hours

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Prepare the vegetables: Cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove seeds, brush with oil, season with salt and pepper, and place face down on a roasting pan lined with parchment paper. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise, remove seeds, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place cavities facing up on a parchment-lined pan. Clean the mushrooms, removing the gills and stems, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on a parchment-lined pan.
Roast the vegetables: about 35-40 minutes for the squash, 10 minutes each side for the mushrooms, and approximately 20 minutes for the peppers. Remove each as soon as they are tender; don’t overcook. Peel and cube the roasted squash other than the four sections that will be filled. Set vegetables aside.
In a saucepan, combine the wine, broth, and saffron. Bring to a boil and simmer over a very low heat.
In a large pot over a medium heat, melt the Earth Balance. Add the garlic, shallot, mushrooms, salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste and sauté over low light for 2 minutes until garlic is fragrant. Add the rice and stir until well coated. Add ½ cup of the simmering broth, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the liquid, ½ cup at a time, stirring until the rice has absorbed it. This will take approximately 20-25 minutes. The rice is done when it is creamy without being soupy. It should be tender.
Add the chunks of roasted butternut.
Sprinkle in the vegan mozzarella and stir.
Scoop the risotto into the vegetable cavities and place the filled vegetables on a parchment-lined pan in the oven for about 5 minutes or just until the vegetables have warmed.
Garnish plates with chopped parsley if desired.