Fall Risotto

One pot meal, perfect for the Fall table. I served it with Sanford Chardonnay, which I also used in the recipe. I cooked it in my enameled cast iron pot, but any other oven-proof heavy bottomed pot would also work. This is one of the less painful recipes of Risotto, since most of the cooking happens in the oven. I adapted this from Nov, 2010 edition of Everyday Food.

1. 4-5 shallots, chopped fine
2. 3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
3. 2 tsp fresh thyme
4. 2 tsp Olive Oil
5. 1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
6. 1/2 cup white wine
7. 1 medium Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped into small squares
8. 1 firm, tart apple like Granny Smith, cored and chopped into small squares
9. 1 bunch Mustard Green, chopped into 1/2" slivers (use Kale as replacement)
10. 4 cups vegetable stock
11. Salt & ground Pepper to taste
12. 1/2 cup Dried cranberries
13. Roasted Pumpkin seeds or fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400F.
Heat olive oil in the pot on medium-high heat. Add garlic & shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes till garlic becomes fragrant. Add thyme and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the rice & cook for 4-5 minutes, till rice is opaque. Add the wine. Cook, stirring constantly till the wine is absorbed. Add the squash & apple and stir to mix. Add the vegetable stock and once it comes to boil, add the Mustard Green (or Kale), cranberries, salt & pepper. Cover and move it to oven. Bake for 20 minutes or so until rice is cooked.

Top with roasted pumpkin seeds (or freshly grated Parmesan for purists) and serve hot.