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V Winter Squash Risotto
Submitted by Dawn DiMarco, farm member; 2 cups of arborio rice should make enough for about 6-8 servings. Total time to table is about 1.5 hours
2 winter squash
3-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 leeks, both white and pale green portions, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon or to taste crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sage, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
32 ounce carton of organic vegetable stock


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Halve the squash, brush the cut sides with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and roast until fork tender, approximately 30 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. Scoop out the seeds, and clean them of pulp, then place them on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast again until goldenabout 15-20 minutes. Keep watching them because different squash have different size seeds and you don't want them to burn.
Scoop flesh out of skin in chunks, and set aside.

Heat vegetable stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
Heat a large, heavy-bottom saute pan on medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan. When it shimmers, add the onion first and start to saute. After 1 or 2 minutes, add the leeks, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Turn heat down to medium and continue to saute until soft.
Add rice to pan, continuing to stir until it starts to turn color very slightly. Add wine and continue to stir until it is almost evaporated. Add about one quarter of the vegetable stock, and continue to stir the mixture. Each time the liquid is almost evaporated, add another ladle of stock. Most important, keep stirring. Taste for texture of rice about 20 minutes into cooking the rice to start testing for doneness. It will be ready about 25-27 minutes. With last ladle of stock, add the reserved squash and the sage. Keep stirring. Most of the squash will dissolve into the dish, but there will be a few pieces remaining. Serve the dish topped with the squash seeds.