Butternut squash, herbs combine for risotto done right

CONCORD, N.H. -- Festive as they may be, the holidays can leave people feeling more stuffed than an oversized tofu turkey, and hankering for something to lighten the load.

But don't mention diet quite yet. There is plenty of time for slimming down later. Instead, for one holiday gathering try a menu focused on a single (preferably light) ingredient offered in a variety of contrasting dishes.

My predominantly vegetarian family enjoys a break from our typical holiday fare with a rice-based menu of Asian- and Italian-influenced dishes.

Sure this plan violates all the new no-carb rules, but rice and vegetables at least give the illusion of a light ending to the year. And though we aim for less heft, we won't settle for less flavor.

The trick is to offer plenty of choices, and make sure each differs significantly from the next. We also like to pair the dishes with an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Start with fresh vegetable spring rolls made with rice-paper wrappers and rice noodles. These light and crunchy appetizers are a great complement to sweet-and-sour and spicy peanut sauces.

Follow the spring rolls with a variety of vegetable sushi served with hot wasabi. While it can be fun making the sushi at home, the holiday crunch is a good excuse to get it to go, earlier in the day. Pick up the spring rolls, too.

So far it has been a chilly menu with flavors meandering from sweet to spicy to hot. Now switch gears to warm and savory with two varieties of creamy risotto.

Most risotto recipes call for butter and Parmesan cheese. If you don't do dairy, substitute soy margarine or olive oil, and soy Parmesan "cheese" or nutritional yeast flakes.

Need inspiration? Try risotto with aromatic herbs and butternut-squash risotto drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar from Damiano Martin's "The da Fiore Cookbook" (William Morrow, 2003, $34.95).

Wrap things up with a turn back to the sweet. Oven-baked rice pudding is easy and comforting. Try Leslie McEachern's recipe from her cookbook "The Angelica Home Kitchen" (Ten Speed Press, 2003, $27.95).

This meal is easy to pull together, especially if you buy the sushi and spring rolls. The risottos take about 45 minutes each and can be done simultaneously.

Butternut squash risotto drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar

(Preparation 45 minutes)

1 small butternut squash

3/4 cup sunflower or other mild oil

1/4 small onion, diced

Salt

3 cups Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice (Arborio also works)

2 quarts hot vegetable broth

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Aged balsamic vinegar, for drizzling

Trim the ends from the squash. Peel the squash and cut it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into quarters, then finely slice each piece into 1/8-inch-thick slices.

Heat the oil over a medium flame in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the squash, season with salt, and add water just to cover.

Bring the squash to a simmer and cook until it easily breaks apart, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the rice and 1 cup broth. Bring to a rolling boil and cook, stirring frequently and adding additional cups of broth as needed, for 8 minutes. The rice should almost completely absorb the broth between additions.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking and adding remaining broth, a cup at a time, for another 8 minutes, or until rice is tender but firm. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the butter and salt as needed. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

(Recipe from Damiano Martin's "The da Fiore Cookbook," William Morrow, 2003, $34.95.)

Risotto with aromatic herbs

(Preparation 45 minutes)

2 fennel bulbs with feathery fronds

Leaves from 3 rosemary sprigs

1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

20 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

10 fresh sage leaves, cut into ribbons

1 bunch chives (5 to 10 stalks), snipped into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 small onion, finely chopped

Salt

2 tablespoons dry white wine

2 cups Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice (Arborio also works)

1 1/2 quarts hot vegetable broth

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Remove the fronds from the fennel bulbs. Roughly chop the fronds along with the rosemary and parsley. Finely mince the fennel bulb. Combine fennel, rosemary, parsley, basil, sage and chives.

Heat the oil over a medium flame in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the herbs, season with salt and cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Add the wine and cook for another minute. Stir in the rice. Add 1 cup of broth. Cook at a rolling boil, stirring frequently and adding additional cups of broth as needed, for 8 minutes. The rice should almost completely absorb the broth between additions.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking and adding remaining broth, a cup at a time, for another 8 minutes, or until rice is tender but firm. Remove the pan from the heat.

Stir in the butter, and salt as needed. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

(Recipe from Damiano Martin's "The da Fiore Cookbook," William Morrow, 2003, $34.95.)