Warming Risotto

There's not much I like better on a fall evening than a big bowl of risotto. It's also one of those dishes that I like to make when I feel like being over a warm stove in a cozy kitchen. Unfortunately, I have spoken to any number of people who think of risotto as a "restaurant" dish; it's just not something they make at home. Maybe all the stirring is intimidating, or they have a fear of over or under cooking it. Well, I want to dispel the myth that risotto is a hard dish to make. I would even go so far to say that it's pretty easy!

As you may know, I'm a big fan of the Recipes for Health series in the New York Times. Even if I don't follow the recipes exactly, I can always find some inspiration here. The recipe I made last night, Risotto with Roasted Winter Squash, didn't need any changes (except of course the usual swap for vegetable stock). I opted to use butternut squash, since it's my favorite. The roasting really brings out the natural sweetness of the squash and that really made for a unique risotto. The dish is usually savory through and through, but the sweet squash provided a nice sweet/savory contrast here. So please, try this recipe! I am sure it will be a success. And work from the base here. Get creative with your veggies and herbs and you'll have plenty of tasty options.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

With springtime rapidly approaching, I'm trying my best to get my fill of all my favorite wintry vegetables. And sticking with the season, I've been using them often in soups. Tonight I decided to make a soup that would warm up your body as well as your palate, so made a batch of curried butternut squash soup. Very simple, very tasty, very healthy. I served it with some toasted bread (just some salt, pepper, and olive oil on top) and a simple green salad with a homemade sesame soy vinaigrette.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
-1 medium onion, diced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
-1-2 tbsp curry powder, to taste (I make my own, but you can find curry powder in any spice aisle)
-1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 4 cups worth)
-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
-4 cups vegetable stock
-1 cup coconut milk (I used a light version)
-canola oil, salt, and pepper

-Heat a couple teaspoons of canola oil in a soup pot over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook until starting to soften, and add the garlic. Cook for another couple minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
-Add the grated ginger and the curry, and cook for about 1 minute while stirring.
-Add the vegetable stock, butternut squash, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 25 minutes, until the squash and carrots are fork tender.
-Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes. Then, using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Add the coconut milk and blend until incorporated. *Alternately, blend using a traditional blender, in batches. As always, never fill the blender more than halfway with hot liquids, and never seal the lid on tight, as you might have a butternut squash explosion.*
-Put the soup back on the heat, give a final stir, and serve.