Roasted Butternut Squash and Brown Rice Risotto

Loosley based on a recipe from a book long since returned to the library, but with just about every ingredient substituted anyway to what I normally have in the cupboards. This is scribbled down from memory as I made it last night. I don't see any reason why pumpkin couldn't be used instead of butternut squash.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped, or 1 leek, sliced into 1/2" rounds
• 1 clove garlic
• 2oz mushrooms
• 1/2 tbsp butter
• olive oil
• 120g brown Basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1" cubes
• 1 small courgette, sliced
• 1 coarsely grated carrot
• 70ml vegetable or chicken stock
• 25g Parmesan, grated
• 1/2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley

Methodology:

1. Soak the brown rice in water for 20 mins beforehand, then drain and cook in fresh water until just done, approx 20 mins.
2. Preheat oven to gas mark 5. Heat half the olive oil in an roasting tin, add the squash and half the thyme, season with black pepper and salt. Roll the squash around to get it oiled all over, and roast for 20-30 mins until soft and just starting to brown.
3. Heat half the butter and the rest of the oil in a large pan, fry the onions and garlic until soft, add the mushrooms and courgettes and cook until just going brown.
4. Add the grated carrot, stir through and cook for 2 mins.
5. Add the rice, the rest of the thyme, the parsley and the stock and cook half-covered for 5 mins.
6. Add half the Parmesan and the roasted squash and stir through. Season to taste.
7. Serve straight away with the rest of the Parmesan sprinkled on top.

Mushroom Rice

Quick, simple, reliable, and can be either a light meal or a side dish. What more can anyone want?

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Basmati rice
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 pound mushrooms (you can use any combination including field, button, shiitake, oyster, and portabello mushrooms)
• 2 scallions or shallots, or half an onion diced very fine
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method:

1. In a large heavy saucepan, bring rice and water with salt to a boil. Stir rice once and cook, covered, over moderately low heat for 6 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat, drain off the water, and let rice stand, covered with a towel-wrapped lid, for 5 minutes (it's fine to leave it longer until you're ready to use it!)
3. Cut mushrooms into 1/4-inch-thick slices and chop the scallions/shallots/onion.
4. In a skillet heat butter over moderately high heat until the foam subsides and sauté the mushrooms with salt to taste until golden and any liquid given off is evaporated. If you're using shallots or an onion, brown those along with the mushrooms.
5. Add the wine and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the wine is evaporated.
6. Fluff the rice up with a fork, stir in the mushrooms and scallions and sprinkle over the parsley before serving.

Tip: To make this a main meal for non-veggies, you can add stir in shredded cooked chicken at the end and heat through thoroughly.