Couscous Risotto with Butternut Squash and Carrots

So what are you cooking for Thanksgiving this year? I haven’t yet decided. We are gonna have some friends over for lunch on Thanksgiving day and are heading over to a potluck dinner to another friend’s place in the evening. So, I know that there is going to be a lot of cooking and eating involved, but I just haven’t decided on the menu yet. I know its late and I am getting a little freaked out. It is very unlike me to be so unprepared. Hopefully I’ll get that settled this evening.

I remember the last Thanksgiving we celebrated in 2009 ( we were in India in 2010) and it was so very perfect. I made a roast chicken ( as there were not many turkey lovers in the meat eating set of folks), butternut squash lasagna, spiced cranberry sauce, some stuffing (i don’t remember what), a green beans thing and a roasted cauliflower dish, mashed potatoes, of course and a pumpkin pecan pie. I soo very much enjoyed cooking all morning that day. What with oven on and all it was soo warm and nice in the kitchen. I hope to recreate something like that this year too

I made this couscous risotto with butternut squash for lunch on Saturday along with some roasted red potatoes and artichokes to go with it. I usually love couscous, especially the Israeli couscous and when I saw this recipe on the the Food Network magazine for a barley risotto made in the slow cooker with squash and mushrooms, I immediately thought of how a couscous risotto will be like? So I decided to go ahead and make some to see how it will be like. How else am I to know, right? Since couscous does not require too much coking time, I did not go with the slow cooker method, I just cooked it the regular way you usually make risotto. This would make a great vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving too.

Couscous Risotto with Butternut Squash and Carrots

• Israeli couscous – 1 box (around 8 oz)
• Olive Oil – 2 tsp
• Chopped Shallots – 1 cup
• Chopped Carrots – 1 cup
• Chopped Butternut Squash – 1 cup
• Dry White Wine – 1/2 cup
• Chicken or Vegetable Stock – 3 cups, or as required
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese – 1/2 cup

Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan, I used an enameled cast iron pot. Add the shallots and saute till they are slightly translucent. Add the carrot to the pan and saute for a few minutes. Now add the squash and the couscous. Saute for a few minutes, making sure it doesnt stick to the pan.

Meanwhile, heat the stock in a different pan and keep it simmering.

Now add the white wine to the couscous mix and give it a few quick stirs. Add salt and pepper too.  Using a deep ladle, add the stock to the couscous mix a little by little. Keep stirring the couscous. Once the stock has evaporated, add a little more, stir more and continue till the couscous is cooked really well. If you need more stock, add to the pan and heat it up before adding to the couscous.

Add the grated parmesan on top and serve warm.