Cooking with Wine: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto Recipe

Every so often, you stumble upon a Chardonnay so refreshing and unique, unlike over-the-top oaky-buttery-California Chardonnays, that you want to drink it and cook with it, try every dish with it.

I love Chardonnay with a creamy freshness and lemon-lime quality that is well integrated with oak flavors. Sometimes these are fermented in a combination of stainless steel and oak, or neutral oak. You’re lucky if you can find one that is half steel-fermented and half oak-fermented! That kind of Chardonnay is just as perfect in a rustic dish in front of the fire as a on a warm summer day in the garden. And cooking with wine is just as important as drinking or tasting wine!

Pair with: Hoyt Chardonnay from Paso Robles.

Cooking with this kind of Chardonnay adds something special to the dish: a little more citrus, good acid and lots of flavor. And don’t forget to pour a glass to pair the wine to sip with the dish! It’s the perfect pair to either of these winter Chardonnay recipes: Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto below and Chardonnay Roast Chicken with Local Herbs.

And for dessert, here’s my other favorite way to use squash.

Winter Squash Chardonnay Risotto

Liz Dodder

Cooking with a bright, acidic Chardonnay lends a savory, lemony quality that is perfect with creamy risotto and winter squash.

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Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 40 mins

Total Time 1 hr

Course Main

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups 1/2-inch cubed, peeled winter squash medley
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves minced fresh garlic
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 cups Chardonnay brincy, acidic and lemony is best
• 1 ounce pancetta or prosciutto
• 1 medium finely chopped onion
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked Arborio rice
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herb mix like lemon thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil, lavender
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup 1 ounce shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Combine squash and 1 tablespoon oil, tossing to coat. Arrange squash in a single layer on baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until squash is just tender. Remove from pan; set aside.
• Heat a large heavy-bottom stock pot over medium heat. Add pancetta to pot; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Remove pancetta and set aside.
• Add remaining olive oil to pot, then add onion; cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add 1/2 cup wine; cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Continue to add remaining wine and broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Stir in squash, herbs, cheese, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Top with pancetta.

Keyword risotto, squash