Roasted butternut squash and sage risotto

This afternoon, I had an epic fail in the kitchen. I attempted to make some 'healthy' breakfast bars, but unfortunately they burnt to a black crisp! 

However the oven was still hot, so I thought I'd roast a whole butternut squash and make one of my go-to dinners Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto. Yes you read that right, roast a whole butternut squash! Simply pop in the oven without any preparation (or tricky chopping!) and cook for 40-45 minutes and voila! perfectly soft, roasted squash to add to the recipe. 

I didn't have any fresh sage in, so I used dried sage- it was perfect with wonderful earthy flavours. 

Simple, creamy and easy. Comfort food at it's finest. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 medium butternut squash

Drizzle of olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 ½ litres vegetable stock

300g risotto rice

2 tsp dried sage
Pinch of salt and black pepper 

Method:

1. Pre- heat the oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4. Place the whole butternut squash on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 40-45 minutes until softened and a knife can glide through the skin.
2. Remove the squash from the oven and slice in half. Set aside to cool so you can scoop out the flesh without burning your fingers.

3. In the meantime, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and cook onions until soft but not browned. Add risotto rice to pan and stir until it is coated in olive oil. Stir continually until the edges begin to look transparent.

4. Add the hot vegetable stock in small amounts, stirring often. Cook for about 25-30 minutes until the risotto appears creamy. 

5. Scoop out the seeds of the butternut squash and discard. Remove the rest of the flesh with a spoon and stir into the risotto. Add the sage and stir through. 
6. Season with salt and pepper 

Enjoy! 

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