Saffron imparts not only a lovely yellow hue to dishes, but also a rich flavor. In this risotto dish I paired the al dente Arborio rice with not only a pinch of saffron, but flavorful chicken broth and roasted cubes of squash and green beans. The finishing touches to this comforting dish (crumbled feta cheese and crunchy sliced almonds) are not Italian, but really make each bite of this creative risotto even more unique.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Saffron Risotto with Delicata Squash, Green Beans & Feta
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper
- 1 small delicata squash, or 2 cups cubed butternut squash
- 6 oz. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 4-6 cups chicken stock
- For serving: sliced almonds and crumbled feta cheese
Directions:
- Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the garlic and the sliced shallots; saute for 2 minutes. Add in the rice and saffron, and while constantly stirring, toast for 1 minute more. Add in the wine, reduce the heat to low and allow the wine to almost all evaporate.
- Season the rice with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a big grinding of black pepper. From this point on (should take about 20 minutes total) add in 1 cup of the stock at a time letting each cup absorb into the rice before adding in another–constantly stirring, until the rice is al dente and the mixture is thick and a bit soupy.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil; arrange the cubes of squash and the cut green beans in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
- Once the risotto is ready, add in the cooked vegetables. Serve warm with a sprinkling of feta cheese and the sliced almonds.
Tagged: arborio rice, chicken stock, Delicata squash, feta cheese, green beans, rice, risotto, saffron, saffron risotto, sliced almonds, squash
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