Taste

Butternut Squash Risotto

3 lb. butternut squash
6 c. chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 c. Arborio rice (9 oz)
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
5 tbsp. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 oz)
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Roast squash:

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Halve squash lengthwise and remove the seeds, then cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and season with salt. Roast slices, skin side down, in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until tender and golden, about 50 minutes.

Set aside 6 crescent-shaped squash slices for serving and keep warm. Remove flesh from remaining slices into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding skin. (for an orange colored risotto place your 1/2 pieces in a blender and puree, add the puree after the third addition of broth, set some aside to garnish the dish) 

Start risotto after squash has been roasting 40 minutes:

Bring broth to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add rice, garlic, and cumin and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.  Stir in 1/2 c. simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 c. at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking but still al dente (it should be the consistency of thick soup), about 18 minutes total. (There will be leftover broth.)

Stir in squash pieces, then stir in cheese, salt, sage, and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. (If necessary, thin risotto with some leftover broth.)

Serve risotto immediately, topped with reserved squash slices.  

Chef Joe’s Braised Short Ribs

2 tbsp. canola oil
6 short ribs with bones, cut 2 inches thick (about 4 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
One bottle dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
4 thyme sprigs
3 c. chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp. coriander

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Add them to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty, about 18 minutes. Transfer the ribs to plate and hold.

2. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and coriander to the skillet and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Add the wine and chicken stock to deglaze the pan.

3. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Cover the skillet and cook in the oven for 3 hour or until beef is falling off the bone

4. Transfer the meat to a dish, discarding the bones. Strain the sauce into a bowl and skim off as much fat as possible. Pour the sauce over the meat; there should be about 2 cups.

5. Preheat the broiler. Broil the meat, turning once or twice, until glazed and sizzling, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meat to plates, spoon the sauce on top and serve. (Glazing can also be done on the stove top by adding the beef and sauce to a pan and reducing the stock.) 

Sage Restaurant's Ricotta Gnocchi

3 lb. ricotta cheese
3 c. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
2 tsp. salt
zest from one lemon
2 large eggs

Place the ricotta cheese and eggs into a mixing bowl and beat to combine. Mix in the salt, parsley, zest and flour. Bring 4 qts. of salted water to a boil. Dough will be sticky, dip your hands in some flour and roll out ½ oz. of dough, repeat until you have used all of the dough, re-flouring your hands as needed. Add just enough gnocchi to the pot of water to allow them to float. Remove one gnocchi and cut in half to check for doneness. When gnocchi are finished serve them with your favorite sauce. You can also drop the gnocchi into a cold water bath to chill, remove the gnocchi from the water and place on a lined baking sheet.  When the gnocchi are dry, place them in a zip lock bag and freeze.

 Sage Restaurant
425 Sand Creek, Suite B
Chesterton, IN  46304
(219) 926-6500
www.sagerestaurant.net
Follow them on Facebook