Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash

We are smack in the middle of the season that makes the ingredients in this 5-star dish shine. This risotto is inherently creamy before the parmesan is even added.  It is a recipe originally from Ina Garten, but I modified it to make it Dairy Free.

Ingredients

1 Butternut Squash (about 2 lbs.)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
6 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) Earth Balance
2 ounces pancetta, diced (4 slices of crumbled bacon is tasty as well)
1/2 cup minced shallots (2 large)
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice (about 10 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (offered on the side for your non dairy free guests)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut it into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heating to simmer.

In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total.

Off the heat add the roasted squash cubes and mix well.  I served this along side of a bowl of parmesan cheese.  This allowed the non dairy free guests to add a bit of cheese if they wanted, more importantly it kept the dish dairy free so that any leftovers would be safe for me to devour the next day!

Tex-Mex Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from a coworker many years ago and instantly became a favorite. I adapted many of the quantities but there wasn't much to adapt to make it gluten and dairy free. It's a vegetarian soup but would also be good with some shredded chicken added, just add more broth to compensate.

Ingredients

6 corn tortillas; slice into 1/2 inch strips

avocado, cubed
DF sharp cheddar cheese
chopped cliantro
lime wedges, to garnish

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 green pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups low sodium beef broth
1 can black beans
1 can chopped tomatoes with green chilies (I always buy the hot for some added flavor)
1 cup corn kernels

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the tortilla strips on a baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 10 minutes.

In a medium saute pan, heat the oil. Add the onion, celery, green pepper and cumin. Saute over medium high heat until vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5 minues. Meanwhile, put the broth, black beans, tomatoes, and corn in a stock pot. Add the vegetables once they are cooked. Once the soup is hot it's ready to serve.

Ladle the soup into a bowl. Sprinkle the cheese, cilantro, avocado and tortilla strips on top. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.