A Perfect Dinner idea|Butternut Squash Risotto and Pan-fried Pork Chops

Ingredients:

➡️For the butternut squash risotto:

• 500g butternut squash, peeled and diced into small cubes
• 125g risotto rice
• 110g streaky bacon rashers, diced
• 80g celery, diced
• 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 100ml white wine
• 500ml chicken stock
• 30g grated parmesan cheese
• 20g butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

➡️For the pork chop:

• 2 pork chops
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 20g butter
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 sprig of thyme
• Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• Zest of lemon

serve 2

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing the butternut squash. Peel it and dice it into small cubes. Set it aside.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add the diced bacon and stir until it starts to release some of its fat.
3. Add the finely diced shallots to the pan and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add the diced celery to the pan and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the grated garlic and dried oregano to the pan and stir to combine with the vegetables.
6. Pour the white wine into the pan and stir to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Let the wine reduce for a minute or two.
7. Add the risotto rice to the pan and stir to coat it in the bacon and vegetable mixture. Cook for 2 minutes to lightly toast the rice.
8. Pour in the chicken stock and stir to combine all ingredients. Add the diced butternut squash to the pan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
9. Cook the risotto for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add more stock or water if necessary to keep the rice from drying out.
10. While the risotto is cooking, prepare the pork chops. Season them with sea salt flakes, freshly ground black pepper.
11. Heat a separate frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to the pan.
12. Once the oil is hot, add the seasoned pork chops to the pan. Cook for about 7-8 minutes on each side, add garlic clove, sprig of thyme, and 20g of butter to the pan. Use a spoon to baste the pork chops with the butter and herb mixture as they cook.
13. Once the risotto is fully cooked and the rice is tender, stir in the grated parmesan cheese and 20g of cold butter. This will make the risotto creamy and rich.

To serve, cut the pork chops into strips and place them on top of the butternut squash risotto. Garnish with additional grated parmesan cheese and chopped herbs if desired. Enjoy!