Ingredients

Serves 6

Time: 1.5 Hours

3 T Butter- Unsalted

1 Onion- Diced small

2 C Arborio Rice

1 Garlic- Minced

2 C Butternut Squash- ½” Cubed

3 C Chicken Stock

¼ C Parmesan– Grated

1 tsp Thyme, Fresh- Minced

Pinch Salt

2 C Butternut Squash- Cubed

1 T Chicken Stock (or water)

2 T Olive Oil

Pinch Salt

2 Oz Cream Cheese

2 Eggs

1 C Bread Crumbs

4-5 C Vegetable Oil for Frying

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Toss cubed butternut with 2 T olive oil, 1 T chicken stock and season on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes until cooked through and can easily be pierced with a fork. Do not let brown. Remove from oven and smash each cube with a fork to create a rough purée mixture. Let cool.

Prepare cream cheese by rolling 1/2” balls between hands. Set on plate until ready to use.

In saucepan, add stock and let warm to a simmer over medium low heat on the stovetop.

In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat . Add diced onion and let cook until soft, being careful not brown, for approximately 3-5 minutes. Add rice, thyme and minced garlic and cook gently for 3 minutes. Do not let brown. Add one cup of warm stock. Stir in and let reduce for a minute until mostly absorbed. Once reduced add a half cup of stock and continue this process until risotto is cooked. Add the butternut squash and parmesan to mixture and gently mash it in with a spatula or wooden spoon. The orange color should begin to blend into the risotto mixture but there will also be small chunks of butternut. Once incorporated, begin to make 1.5” balls. Form a whole in the center of ball, insert cream cheese ball and cover so that the cream cheese is in the center of the risotto ball. As seen below:

Beat eggs with whisk in small bowl. Place bread crumbs into a separate bowl. Dip bowl in egg letting any excess fall off then dip in breadcrumbs. Set on plate and continue this with the rest of the risotto balls until ready to fry.

In a deep pot add the oil, heat over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees. It’s best to check this with a thermometer. The depth of the oil should be about 3 inches for frying. Once at temperature, gently place risotto balls with slotted spoon and let fry for 6 minutes. Remove and set on a paper towel lined plate. Continue to do this with the rest. Sprinkle with finishing salt and serve hot with aioli (recipe follows)

Garlic Paprika Aioli:

Time 15 minutes

2 Eggs Yolks

1 tsp Mustard

2 Garlic Cloves- Minced

2 T Lemon Juice

1/2 C olive oil

1/2 C canola/vegetable oil

Aioli Directions:

Separate egg yolks into bowl and set yolks aside. In separate bowl mash minced garlic with a pestle to release oils. Whisk in mustard and lemon juice then whisk in one egg yolk at a time waiting until the first yolk is fully emulsified before adding the next one. Combine oils into a cup with a spout and slowly pour in oil while continuing to whisk. If sauce begins to separate stop pouring and whisk until smooth again then continue to pour until oil is fully incorporated. Whisk in salt, pepper and a pinch of paprika.

Note: In this photo I separated the sauce into two bowls and added freshly chopped parsley to one sauce and the paprika to another. For platting I set a large scoop of paprika aioli then in the center I added a smaller scoop of parsley aioli.

Chef Founder Liz- Dmitry Kraskovsky.jpg — Recipe by Liz Philpot