Ingredients:
6 cups vegetable stock
1 cup cooked winter squash, mashed
1 head radicchio, cut into wedges, 1-2 inches wide
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, finely diced
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

  1. Brush the radicchio generously with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet, add the radicchio and cook on both sides until wilted and brown, about 5 minutes per side. Douse lightly with the vinegar, then transfer to a cutting board and chop coarsely.
  2. When you are ready to begin cooking the risotto, have the stock simmering on a burner. Melt the butter in a wide soup pot. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until wilted and lightly colored, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, stir to coat, and cook 1 minute. Turn up the heat and add 2 cups of the simmering stock, and cook at a lively boil, stirring a few times. When the first batch is fully absorbed, begin adding stock ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly. Once you’ve used 4 cups in all, stir the squash into the rice. Continue cooking, stirring and adding liquid until the rice is tender, but still a little resistant, and the sauce is creamy.
  3. When the rice is done, add the radicchio. Cook for a minute more to heat the radicchio, then turn off the heat and stir in the cheese. Taste for salt and season with pepper. Divide among heated plates and season with pepper and drizzle a little olive oil into each dish.

Serves 4