Yellow Squash Risotto with Yellow Squash Flowers

A friend of mine told me about a dish that her father makes that includes yellow squash and the flowers. I still had those elements in my garden so I decided to make it for lunch yesterday. It was risotto for one while I worked, but it was still a great meal. Risotto does not require constant stirring, and it is possible to whip some up for a working lunch as I proved yesterday.

We were talking about squash because three of my friends ordered the same butternut squash risotto at Les Zebres in Val-David. I tried it and it was very good if a little too loose for my taste. I like the toasted hazelnuts that garnished the risotto, and am a big fan of butternut squash. I was still digesting an Oktoberfest lunch and my free beer (thanks Joe), and decided to show restraint by ordering a tuna tartar entree as a main meal. The tartar was excellent, but truthfully I was starving by 11 pm!

There is a frost warning tonight and I guess it marks the end to a great gardening year. I still have tomatoes galore and am making a large batch of tomato sauce as I write this.

Yellow Squash with flowers Risotto

• 15 ml ( 1 Tbsp) olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  
• 250 ml (1 cup) aborio rice
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine
• 1 medium yellow or summer squash, large dice
• 5 ml (1 tsp) fresh thyme
• 1 l (4 cups ) chicken or vegetable stock, hot but not boiling on the stove
  
• 30 ml (2 Tbsp) butter
• 5-6 yellow squash flowers, sliced
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) Romano, grated
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
  

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, and saute the onion until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the risotto and toast, while stirring, for 1 minute. Deglaze with the wine until dry. Reduce the heat to medium and add half the diced yellow squash, the thyme and 1/2 cup of hot stock. Stir to blend. When the liquid has been absorbed add another 1/2 cup until the risotto is the desired consistency. Some people like their risotto al dente. I prefer my own a little softer than that and would use the full amount of stock. When risotto is ready remove it from the heat. In a saute pan melt half the butter and saute the remaining yellow squash until slightly browned. Add to the risotto. In the same pan melt the remaining butter and saute the squash flowers until slightly golden. Add the cheese to the risotto and season to taste. Garnish with the sauteed flowers. Serve immediately.