Mushroom, Kale & Squash Risotto

A hearty enough meal to be served on it’s own, especially if you are a vegetarian. If you eat cheese, then chunks of goats cheese, feta or parmesan are great added at the end of the cooking process, just before serving. When I make this meal i frequently switch between using kale or spinach, it just depends on whichever one I have in my fridge at the time. This time I was feeling indulgent so I used smoked salmon as my protein source, but I have been known to use chicken, chorizo, sausage, or a combination. Just be careful to check that the butternut squash has been cooked enough as if it is still hard, it ruins the creamy feel of the meal. If you run out of stock before the squash or rice is cooked, then keep adding a little water until you are satisfied. Don’t make this meal with risotto rice if you can’t constantly keep your attention on the pan while cooking, use barley instead as you can add all the fluid in one go and leave it to cook without stirring. 

Print Recipe

Mushroom, Kale & Squash Risotto

Keyword

Butternut Squash, Kale, Mushroom, Rice, Salmon

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 butternut squash
• 2 tsp dried sage
• 130 g arborio or risotto rice
• 750 ml chicken stock
• approx 125 g closed cup mushrooms
• 100 g kale
• 200 g smoked salmon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• black pepper

Keyword Butternut Squash, Kale, Mushroom, Rice, Salmon Prep Time 5 minutes Cook Time 40 minutes Servings people Ingredients 1 tsp olive oil 1 large onion 2 cloves garlic 1/2 butternut squash 2 tsp dried sage 130 g arborio or risotto rice 750 ml chicken stock approx 125 g closed cup mushrooms 100 g kale 200 g smoked salmon 1 tbsp lemon juice black pepper

Instructions

To Prepare:

1. Peel and dice the onion. Peel and crush the garlic.
2. Add to a large frying pan with the olive oil.
3. Peel and deseed the butternut squash half. Slice in to bite size pieces, the bigger the pieces the longer it takes to cook.
4. Make up the chicken stock and weigh out the rice.

To Cook:

1. Heat the frying pan over a medium heat and fry the garlic and onion for 3 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash and keep frying, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice to the pan and fry for another 30 seconds.
4. Lower the heat slightly and pour in approx 100ml stock. It should hiss a lot and bubble off quite quickly. Keep stirring the ingredients regularly.
5. When the liquid has nearly all gone, pour in another 100 ml of stock and repeat the process.
6. While there is still plenty of fluid in the pan, cut the mushrooms in to quarters, or more if they are large. Have the kale to hand.
7. Slice the salmon in to bite size pieces.
8. Keep stirring and checking the pan regularly, adding more stock when it starts to feel dry.
9. After the last addition of stock, add the mushrooms and kale to the pan and continue to stir. Don’t worry if they seem to add more fluid to the pan, it will help with the flavouring.
10. Once all the stock has been absorbed add the smoked salmon to the mixture, pour in the lemon juice and season with black pepper.
11. Keep stirring for another minute to allow the salmon to heat through and be well mixed through the risotto. Then serve.

Recipe Notes

If you make this, let me know how it goes and share your photos.  I’d also love to hear how you adapt it to suit yourself.