FFwD - NOT Endives, Apples, and Grapes

Thanksgiving Squash and Apples

Yes todays French Friday assignment  was for Endives, Apples, and Grapes but there was no endive in two grocery stores so I decided to go with Dorie's bonne idee and use squash instead.  I just happened to have 1/2 a butternut in the fridge since I had made butternut risotto a few days ago....remember the day the news came out that rice is high in arsenic?  Yeh, I heard that as I'm stirring my risotto.

Anyhow, we loved this and it will be making an appearance on our Thanksgiving table.  I served it with baked pork chops but I can imagine it with turkey and cranberry relish.  It was delightful to have something entirely new, a whole different set of tastes and textures.  And the smell?  Divine!  A raw grape will never again be quite as satisfying as one sauteed in butter with rosemary!  Tossing with toasted pecans is a must and completes the interesting textures going on!  I can't say enough good things about this dish!

Check out all the amazing French Fridays blogs and see what everyone is up to this week!

Butternut Sage Risotto

I just wanted to share a photo of my risotto because it was the best I've ever made.  The sage with the squash was extremely flavorful and paired perfectly with the creaminess of the rice.  It made a heavenly dinner followed by Tuesdays with Dorie nectarine upside down cake which I have yet to blog about.....but I will eventually.

FFwD - Creamy, Cheesy, Garlicky Rice with Spinach

I'm trying to catch up on my French Friday posts.  I have reasons for my procrastination, good reasons!

One of my good reason:)

This week's recipe is what I call a short cut risotto.  I have a friend who works in a restaurant and told me about this technique.  You parboil the rice in chicken stock and then finish it as you would traditionally  by adding stock a ladle full at a time as the rice absorbs it.  That's why if you order risotto in a restaurant you can be served in under 45 minutes!

This is fast and easy, especially if you cook the spinach in advance.  I doubled the garlic and added crushed red pepper flakes.  Next time I will halve the cheese but we really, really liked this!  I'm sure I'll make it again and again!

Don't forget to stop by the French Friday website to see what the other FFwD cooks did this week!