Risotto is a favourite in our house. We make it throughout the year, especially in the fall when the weather just seems to cry out for dishes with a hearty, creamy texture.

I was excited to try the recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto from the Williams Sonoma website. I modified it somewhat by roasting the squash before pureeing it and adding it to the chicken stock. I made my own caramelized onions and used those as the base for the addition of  Carnaroli rice. Rather than browning the sage in butter and discarding it, I added fresh chopped sage just at the end, along with the Parmigiano.

It was surprising to note just how much of the squash/stock mixture was needed to make the rice tender, largely due to the viscous nature of the squash suspended in the liquid, I can only assume.

The end product was delicious, and very well received!  We served it as a starter course, but it would also be wonderful as a side dish for grilled pork tenderloin and a simple green vegetable.

The soup plate shown in the picture is antique and is described in an earlier blog.  The set comprises twelve soup plates and a tureen.