Feeding the Ill

I'm sick. At least once a year I become a victim of "presenteeism" -- the stubborn determination of office mates who insist on coming in to work when they're wheezing, sniffling or feverish. They come by to tell you how sick they are, and invariably you end up catching what they have and doing the same thing to your own cubicle buddies.

Head colds turn me into a vegetable, mainly because it puts my brain in a heavy fog and slows me down to the point that even watching the boob tube becomes a chore. However, living alone means that you still have to crawl out of bed to feed yourself.

So I made Butternut Squash Risotto. It's really only one of very few things I love about the colder months. Hardy vegetables and legumes are in season now, making it possible to tuck into warm, hearty dishes like this risotto.

The best everyday dishes are those that let you eyeball the ingredient quantities and improvise with what you have. I was able to use up the last of the fresh sage given to me by Lynn, and my home made chicken stock. I would have liked the addition of freshly grated Parmesan and white wine, but was able to make do without.

First, bring your stock to a simmer. Next, halve the butternut squash and scrape out the seeds and stringy membrane from the core; set aside. Peel and cube the squash. Sautee the seeds and membrane in another large pot or skillet -- don't worry about bits sticking to the bottom because this is exactly what we are after. When the bottom has browned slightly, remove the seeds and membrane. Drizzle a generous amount of oil and caramelize chopped onions in the same pot. Add the desired quantity of uncooked rice to seal the grains. (White wine would have been nice to include at this point.)

When the rice and onions start to look translucent, start adding your warm stock gradually. The key here is to add a bit at a time, never drowning the rice but also never letting the mixture get so dry that it starts to stick and burn at the bottom.

Incorporate the squash cubes; do this in two batches if you have a large quantity of squash. Keep cooking at low heat and add stock as needed until the risotto has reached the desired consistency. I poured in some milk to make up for the missing Parmesan. At the very end, I tossed in some chopped sage.