Head Chef Chris Remington, Penticton Lakeside Resort
An Okanagan autumn offers plentiful fruits and vegetables including a wide variety of squash. Healthy, delicious and so versatile – make sure to load up at your next Farmer’s Market visit and try new things like this delicious Risotto dish just perfect for a cool Fall evening. Make sure to pair with an Okanagan Wine – perhaps something bubbly?
Ingredients
– 1 large Okanagan Squash (butternut or banana)
– 2 cup Arborio rice
– 12 floz Squash stock
– 2 Garlic cloves (fine chop)
– 1 small Onion (fine chop)
– 4 floz Olive oil
– 4 floz Okanagan White wine
– 1 cup Ricotta cheese
– ½ cup Grated parmesan cheese
– Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Cut squash in half lengthways and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast cut side up in a 350 degree oven until flesh is soft. Remove squash flesh and simmer skins in water for ½ hour to make a squash stock. In a shallow pot sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add salt and pepper along with Arborio rice and sauté for two minutes until rice turns slightly opaque in colour. Add white wine and stir until all the wine has cooked out. Add stock 4 fl oz at a time and stir continuously until the rice is al dente. Add more water if necessary. Stir in ricotta cheese and parmesan.
Enjoy!