Description

Gluten free/meatless. A risotto-like rice bake with sauteed mushrooms and winter squash grated and snuck in, for extra vegetables. Make this gluten free, one pot meal ahead and enjoy it for a special night at home, without extra work.

Ingredients

Scale

3 T butter, divided
2 T olive oil, divided
1 lb. brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
Kosher or sea salt
Ground black pepper
10 oz. mushrooms, sliced
1 medium shallot, chopped small
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 clove garlic, lightly smashed
1 C short grain brown rice
2 C coarsely grated winter squash (about 1/2 lb., such as butternut or acorn)
2 C vegetable stock or broth
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/2 C finely grated parmesan, plus more for serving
1/3 C pine nuts or chopped pistachios, toasted
About 8 basil leaves, sliced in a chiffonade

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 (F). Melt 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil in a 10 inch cast iron or other oven safe skillet over barely medium high heat until foaming. Add brussels sprouts and cook until browned and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste and remove to a bowl.
In the same skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and shallot until just tender and with some liquid still in the pan, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another minute. Add rice and squash and stir, then cook for a couple minutes, until almost all liquid is evaporated. Pour stock into the skillet, raise heat, and boil for two minutes, then remove from heat. Cover and carefully transfer to the preheated oven (I put the skillet on a sheet pan). Bake until rice is just tender, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven, stir in reserved sprouts, cover, and bake 5 more minutes.
While rice bakes, heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat with a clove of crushed garlic until it boils gently. Reduce heat and simmer gently until thickened but pourable, about 20 minutes. Store any leftover balsamic reduction at room temperature or it will harden in the fridge.
Let rice bake stand, covered, for 10 minutes after removing from the oven, then stir in parmesan and 2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces, plus salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls drizzled with balsamic reduction and finished with extra parmesan, black pepper, toasted nuts, and fresh basil.

Notes

It’s best to use a less expensive balsamic when reducing it yourself. Higher quality (usually more expensive) balsamic vinegar is already more concentrated and will likely be difficult to reduce without any added benefit to the flavor.

Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Category: One Pot
Cuisine: Italian