As the evenings turn cooler, it’s no wonder we start to crave more hearty dishes. One cheap and easy way to make a nourishing Fall meal is to use your leftover parmesan rinds to make a brodo. Brodo, simply means broth and you can also make this from any sort of meat scraps and bones you may have. I like the parmesan because it seems like a good transitional broth and, well, because it goes perfectly with risotto, roasted squash, and a little crispy sage.
To make this brodo, you need aromatics, alliums, 10 cups of water, salt, and 6-8 parmesan rinds. You’ll see above I added a languishing lemon. Chop and combine all ingredients and cook for two hours on low heat. Strain and use immediately or freeze for up to six weeks.
Also, I’m not sure where else I’ll ever be able to work this in so please enjoy this Gene Parmesan mash up from Arrested Development, one of the finest comedies to ever hit the small screen.
Risotto with Butternut Squash & Crispy Sage
Serves: 4
Prep/Cook Time: 45 minutes to one hour
(if brodo is made ahead of time)
Ingredients:
EVOO
1 Butternut squash
1 Medium yellow onion
1 1/2 c. Risotto
A bundle of sage
Parmesan
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Peel and cut up squash into bite-sized pieces, coat with EVOO, salt and pepper and roast on a parchment-lined pan at 400 until golden and tender.
Coat a deep pan with EVOO and sauté diced onion until translucent.
Add risotto to onions and cook until you can smell the rice. Turn down to medium low heat.
Begin adding brodo to coat rice and continue to add brodo until rice is cooked, wet, creamy, but still al dente. Take off heat and cover.
Fry sage leaves in separate pan until crispy but not burnt. Dry on paper towel.
Fold in squash to risotto mixture and plate.
Top each dish with the crispy sage.
Add parm, salt, and pepper to taste.