Butternut Squash Risotto Recipe

For the Risotto:

• 2 cups Arborio Rice
• 7 cups Vegetable stock
• 2 cups roasted butternut squash, medium dice
• 1 white onion, small dice
• 1 tbls chopped garlic
• 1 cup Mascarpone cheese
• 3 tbls butter

Bring the vegetable stock to simmer in a medium sauce pan. In a large flat bottom pot, melt the butter. Ad the chopped onion and cook slowly until transparent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for two minutes. Add rice and stir until coated with butter and onion.

Add vegetable stock, 1/2 cup at a time and stir constantly until rice is completely cooked. (when adding veg stock , wait until the rice absorbs it before adding more). Fold in Mascarpone cheese and Butternut squash to finish, season with salt and pepper.

For the Apple and Fig Compote

• 2 red onions
• 3 Fiji apples
• 1 cup dried Black Mission Figs
• 3 tbls chopped sage
• Slice the red onions into thin slices.
• Slice apples into thin slices
• Cut figs in half
• Slowly saute the onion in olive oil until soft and carmelized, add the apples and figs, cook for 3 minutes, finished with 3 tbls chopped sage, salt and pepper.

For the Arugula Pecan Pesto:

• 4 cups fresh Arugula, loosely packed
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 tbls chopped garlic
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Process everthing in food processor except for oil. Ad oil slowly while processing. Finish with salt and pepper.

Place Butternut Squash Risotto in bowl, top with the Apple and Fig Compote and finish with Arugula Pecan Pesto.