Serves: 4
6 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 lb. yellow onions (about 4 medium), halved through the root and thinly
sliced lengthwise
Kosher salt
4 cups chicken stock
2 oz. (4 tbs) unsalted butter, browned
1 tbs lemon juice
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup Cedar Creek Waterfall Riesling
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ cup, toasted and roughly chopped hazelnuts
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 425, lightly toss diced butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper,
Place in single layer on a baking tray and roast in oven for 10 minutes or until soft and browned.
2. Heat the olive oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven or other heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook without stirring until the bottom of the pot begins to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and stir with a wooden spatula. Continue to cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot frequently and adjusting the heat as necessary, until the onions are well browned, 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, combine the broth with 2 cups water and set over medium heat until steaming hot.
4. Transfer the onions to a small bowl, cover, and keep warm.
5. Add about 1/2 cup of the broth mixture to the pot. Scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spatula until any stuck-on bits are released. Pour the liquid back into the broth mixture. Wipe out the pot.
6. Heat 3 tbs olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring gently, until glossy and translucent around the edges, about 1 minute. Add the Waterfall Riesling and cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 1 minute. Ladle enough broth over the rice to just cover (about 1/2 cup) and simmer, stirring often, until most of the broth has been absorbed (test by running a spoon through the rice; no broth should pool on the pot bottom).
7. Continue to add the stock in this manner, stirring often, until the rice is tender but still has a bit of resistance when you bite into it, 20 to 30 minutes. (You may not need all of the stock.)
8. Stir in the cheese, squash and the onions.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately, topped with browned butter and hazelnuts.
– by Chef Andrew Wilson from Brandywine, Cedarburg, Wisconsin (Demonstrated at the 2019 Open House.)