Makes 5 servings
Vegetables
Ingredients
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cups chanterelle mushrooms, washed, dried, and diced
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups peeled and diced fresh pumpkin or other hard-skinned squash
Couscous Risotto
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 cups Israeli couscous
- 1 quart vegetable broth
- 6 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1 thyme sprig, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)
Directions
- To prepare the vegetables: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large sauté pan, sauté 1 of the shallots in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- On a sheet pan, toss together the remaining shallot, the remaining olive oil, and the diced pumpkin and roast in the oven until caramelized and tender, about 15 minutes.
- To make the couscous: Heat the oil in a small sauce pot over moderate heat, add the shallot, and cook until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the couscous and cook gently for a few minutes until it is “parched” and smells lightly toasted. (Parching is a method that makes the product absorb the liquid more easily.) Add the broth in small additions and stir until it has evaporated and the couscous looks a bit dry. Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the pumpkin, mushrooms, sage, and thyme. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper. Serve the cheese on the side, if using.
