Butternut Risotto

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsps olive oil (or butter)
  • 2 cups sliced leeks (one extra large leek)
  • 4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
  • 8 sage leaves, chopped
  • 1 cup Arborio rice or short-grain Spanish rice (Bomba)
  • 2 heaping cups butternut squash, cubed
  • ¼ cup white wine (or skip it)
  • 2 cups veggie stock or chicken stock or broth (or water and 1 tsp or cube veggie bouillon)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 2–3 handfuls baby spinach or chopped kale

Maple-Pecan Topping

  • 1 cup pecan halves
  • 2 Tbsps real maple syrup
  • ¼ tsp salt and optional pepper

Steps

  1. Slice and rinse leeks, separating rings (rinsing will help them to soften faster)
  2. Heat oil in the instant pot, add leeks and stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Add garlic, sage and rice, stir for 2 minutes.
  4. Add butternut squash, and keep stirring for a couple of minutes, until there is a bit of browning on the bottom of the instant pot.
  5. Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits - a wooden spoon is good for this. Let all the wine cook off, about 2-3 minutes.
  6. Add the stock or broth. Scrape up more browned bits. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg, and give a good stir.
  7. Seal the instant pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 6 minutes.
  8. Naturally release for 5 minutes, then manually release.
  9. Stir the risotto, adding the spinach and cheese or butter if you like, or leave them out.
  10. Garnish with optional leek oil or maple glazed pecans.

Maple-Pecan

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F
  2. Toss pecans in a bowl with the maple syrup and salt and optional pepper.
  3. Place pecans on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer.
  4. Place on the middle rack for 14 minutes. Toss at 10 minutes, and check at 12 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven. Let cool completely. Break apart.