Danny's Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash
2 cups carnaroli rice
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 onion finely diced
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking instructions:

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place flesh down on a baking tray. Roast in a 400* oven for 45 mins until very soft and caramelized. Remove from oven, peel and set aside.
Bring stock to a simmer in a pot on stove top.
In another large pot heat 4 tbsp. olive oil and saute onion and garlic for 4-5 mins on medium heat( do not burn garlic!)
Now add the rice and stir constantly for 1 min. making sure to coat rice evenly with oil .
Add squash to pot and stir until well blended with rice.
Add wine and stir until wine is absorbed by rice.( approx 1-2 mins.)
Begin adding about 1 cup of stock and stirring ocassionaly until rice absorbs it, and repeat this process approx. every 5 mins. This process should take 25-30 mins.
At this point the risotto should be "al dente" (subtley hard) to the bite but very creamy,
Plate risotto and add parmesan shavings , serve immediately.

The sweetness of the squash and the nice subtle bite to the rice has this very creamy texture and is extremely flavourful and hearty.