Roasted Acorn Squash Risotto

Ingredients:

1 cup arborio rice

2 acorn squash ensuring they are similar in size. 

5 to 6 ounces of Taleggio cheese

1/2 cup whipping cream. 

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 teaspoon Stella's Table Citrus Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Stella's Table Sea Salt Essential Blend

1/4 teaspoons Stella's Table Pepper Essential Blend

Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 

Cut about 1/5 from the top of the acorn to create a lid. Scoop out the seeds from both the lid and the acorn. Trim the bottom slightly so that the acorn squash can sit upright on a baking sheet. 

Place the acorn, with the lid on top, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. You want the squash to be fork-tender, but want the shell of the acorn squash to be firm so that you can later use to hold the risotto. 

When cooked, carefully remove the squash meat, place in a bowl, and mash. Leave about 1/4" along the sides and bottom of the acorn squash shell.  

Meanwhile, start the risotto by heating the olive oil in a dutch oven. Once heated, add the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Add the arborio rice and seasonings. Cook until the rice is slightly browned. 

Add the broth several ladles at a time and continue this method until you have used about 1/2 of the broth. When you have used 1/2 of the broth, add in the mashed acorn squash and stir until combined. Continue adding broth until the rice is cooked, al dente, and creamy. 

While the risotto is cooking, heat the whipping cream in a separate sauce pan. Once it's warmed, add the Taleggio cheese and whisk until fully melted. 

To prepare the acorn bowls, pour a little of the Taleggio sauce into the bottom of the acorn bowl. Then add several scoops of risotto. Layer with another pour of the Taleggio sauce followed by more risotto. Continue this process until the acorn shell is full. 

Sprinkle the top with Parmesan cheese and serve warm. 

Enjoy!