silky smooth chestnut, sage and squash risotto

Directions

1. Make risotto bianco. Peel and finely dice onion. Heat the stock. Put the olive oil into separate pot add the onion and cook very slowly for about 10 minutes without colouring. When the onions have softened, add the rice, turn up the heat and keep stirring it. After a minute or two it will look slightly translucent.
2. Now add the wine and keep stirring. Once the wine has cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock. Lower the heat to a simmer so the rice doesn't cook too quickly on the outside. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, one by one, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. It will take about 15 minutes.
3. If you will cook your chestnuts, cut an criss-cross pattern into one side of chestnuts, using a sharp knife. This will make them boil faster. Boil the chestnuts for 10-15 minutes. Cool chestnuts under a cold running water and peel the shells off the nuts.
4. Remove the squash from the oven. In a blender mix 250 g / 8.8 oz of the baked squash, 100 g / 3.5 oz, cooked chestnuts or chestnuts purée, a pinch of sea salt, a pinch of black pepper and 100 ml of vegetable stock or water. Blend it for 10 minute or until you get a silky, smooth chestnut squash purée. Add the purée to the risotto.
5. After 15 minutes of slow cooking taste the rice to check if it's cooked. Remove the pot from the heat. Add butter, grated parmesan cheese and stir well. Cover the pot with lid and set aside for 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. While the risotto is resting, set the frying pan over high heat. Melt the butter until foaming then add the sage leaves and chopped chestnuts. Fry it for about 3 minutes or until leaves are nice golden and crispy. Season the risotto to taste and serve with crispy sage leaves, sage brown butter and chestnuts sprinkled over the top.