goat cheese & summer squash risotto

Directions

1. start by heating your broth in a saucepan. bring to a simmer and turn heat off to low.
2. cut washed zucchini in half lengthwise, and slice into quarter-inch thick half moons. in a large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-low heat. add zucchini and garlic and saute until zucchini is fully cooked. add more oil if necessary. once cooked, remove from heat and set zucchini aside in a small bowl.
3. thinly slice shallots and pick the thyme away from the stems. using the same saute pan, heat an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat and saute shallots with the fresh thyme until the shallots translucent.
4. add uncooked rice, and fry for 2 minutes, stirring frequently - coating the rice with oil. add more oil if needed to keep rice from burning.
5. deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup white wine. add a ladle full of hot broth to the rice and stir constantly until it is almost fully absorbed. continue adding a ladle of broth at a time, allowing the rice to absorb most of the moisture before adding more fluid.
6. continue cooking and stirring for about 20-30 minutes until desired consistency. the rice should not be overcooked or overly mushy, but the starches from the rice should release into the broth creating a creamy, saucy texture.
7. once the rice is fully cooked, stir in crumbled goat cheese and the pre-cooked zucchini. salt and pepper to taste. serve with a sprinkling of grated parmesan.