Cooksister | Food, Travel, Photography

Food, photos & faraway places

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • About me
    • Contact me
    • Work with me
    • Legal
      • Copyright notice & Disclaimer
      • Disclosure
      • Cookies and Privacy Policy
    • Press and media
    • Cooksister FAQs
  • RECIPES
    • Recipe Index – by course
    • Baking (savoury)
    • Braai/Barbecue
    • Breakfast & brunch
    • Christmas
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
    • Eggs
    • Fish
    • Gluten-free
    • Leftovers
    • Pasta & rice
    • Poultry
    • Pulses
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • South African
    • Starters & light meals
    • Vegan
    • Vegetables
    • Vegetarian
  • RESTAURANTS
    • British Isles restaurants
    • Dubai restaurants
    • France restaurants
    • London restaurants
    • Montenegro restaurants
    • New York restaurants
    • Pop-ups and supperclubs
    • Serbia restaurants
    • Singapore restaurants
    • South Africa restaurants
    • Sweden restaurants
    • Switzerland restaurants
    • USA restaurants
  • TRAVEL
    • All my travel posts
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Canada
      • Dubai
      • Cruise ships
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Grenada
      • Hong Kong
      • Hotel reviews
      • Italy
      • Israel
      • Jersey
      • Mexico
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Singapore
      • Ski & snow
      • South Africa
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • UK
      • USA
      • Wales
  • PORTFOLIO
    • Freelance writing portfolio
    • Speaking and teaching
    • Photography portfolio
    • Buy my photos
You are here: Home / Recipes / Gluten-free / Spaghetti squash, feta and chilli risotto

Spaghetti squash, feta and chilli risotto

by Jeanne Horak on February 28, 2014 16 Comments in Gluten-free, Main course - vegetarian, Pasta & rice, Vegetarian

SpaghettiSquashRisottoTitle © J Horak-Druiff

 

“Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans” – John Lennon

So on Saturday 9 February I was planning to have quadrilogie de canard for lunch at LeVaffiue, Les Get in the French Alps. But life intervened and instead, I found myself lying in agony in the snow with a broken femur beside Le Yeti ski lift waiting for a helicopter medevac.

That evening I was planning to have a lovely cosy dinner with Nick and our friends in Geneva.  But life intervened and instead I found myself under general anaesthetic on an operating table in a hospital in Thono- les-Bains, having a titanium rod inserted into my right femur.

The following morning I was planning to fly back to London and go to work.  But life intervened and instead I found myself in a hospital ward with 21 staples and a nerve block catheter in  my grotesquely swollen right leg, wondering how I would ever walk again.

That week I was planning to go to work, to cook dinners for Nick, to play with my cats, and maybe to catch up with friends. But life intervened and instead I found myself stuck in a foreign hospital, battling anaemia and fighting with two insurance companies over when I could go home and where I would go once I got to the UK, seeing as my house had no facilities for the mobility impaired.

Last Thursday I was planning to fly to Cape Town for my annual dose of South African sunshine.  But life intervened and instead I found myself in The Blackheath Hospital, learning how to walk up stair on crutches.  Utterly terrifying.

 

SpaghettiSquashRaw  © J Horak-Druiff 2014

 

Last Saturday I was planning to be one of the main speakers at the South African Food & Wine Blogger Indaba conference.  But life intervened and instead I found myself housebound and on crutches, learning to give myself daily anti-coagulant injections and following proceedings at the Indaba via Twitter.

Yup, life sure happens with a vengeance while you are busy making other plans.

Somewhat less dramatically, back in the summer, Nick planned to grow some South African gem squash on is allotment.  Sure – four of the plants produced masses of beautiful dark green, perfectly round gem squash.  But the other plant became known as The Mutant.  We’re not sure of a foreign seed managed to slip into the packet; or whether there was some sort of illicit affair going on between a gem squash and a neighbouring zucchini.  But the end result was that what Nick harvested was nothing like the gem squash he was planning.

 

SpaghettiSquashRoastin © J Horak-Druiff 2014

 

It was roughly the shape of a very small watermelon – elongated yet chunky – and with a green skin like a zucchini but not as soft.  Inside, it was pretty much as expected – more pippy than a zucchini and stringier than a gem squash.  I have no idea what a botanist would have called this mutant squash, but I decided it was a spaghetti squash.  Besides – who wants to bookmark a recipe called “Mutant Squash Risotto”? 😉 Having learnt my lesson last time I cooked spaghetti squash, I already knew better than to try and slice it up and stir fry it like a zucchini – the skin is simply too tough.  So I decided to roast it and scoop out the pulp to make risotto – the spaghetti strand-like texture of the cooked squash means no pureeing or mashing is necessary – just smoosh it with a fork.  The flavour of the squash flesh is quite bland so I pepped up the recipe with salty feta and chill but do feel free to play with the flavours – tons of lemon instead of chilli; maybe blue cheese instead of feta; or harissa paste substituted for the chilli.  The possibilities are endless. Either way, the end result is like a warm hug in a bowl. So whatever you were planning for dinner, allow life to intervene and try this simple crowd-pleaser.

 

SpaghettiSquashRisottoFinal© J Horak-Druiff 2014

 

4.7 from 3 reviews
Spaghetti squash, feta and chilli risotto
 
Print
Prep time
45 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
1 hour 15 mins
 
This soothing risotto is pepped up with the zing of chilli and some deliciously salty feta - a stylish and simple vegetarian dish.
Author: Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Italian
Serves: 2 as a main, 4 as a starter
Ingredients
  • 1 spaghetti squash, deseeded and cut into wedges
  • butter for roasting
  • dried thyme for roasting
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 20g +20g butter
  • ½ tsp chilli flakes
  • 300 g of risotto rice (Arborio or Carnarolli)
  • 150 ml dry white wine
  • 600 ml vegetable stock (I use Marigold bouillon powder)
  • 60 g Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • .
Instructions
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C. Place the squash wedges skin side down on a baking sheet, dot each with butter and sprinkle liberally with dried thyme. Roast for 45 minutes or until the squash is soft. Scoop the squash flesh off the skin and set aside for later.
  2. In the meantime, melt 20g of the butter together with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and chilli flakes and sauté until the onion is translucent and soft but do not let it brown. Add the rice and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly stir so that each grain is well-coated with oil/butter. Add the wine and keep stirring until the liquid has been absorbed almost completely.
  3. Add the hot stock a ladleful at a time (probably about 150-200 ml per ladle). Keep stirring until each ladleful has been completely absorbed, but do not let the rice dry out and stick to the pot. Once each ladleful is absorbed, add the next until the stock has all been added. The rice should be soft but each grain should retain some bite in the centre, perfectly al dente, which should take about 20 minutes.
  4. Once all the stock has been added to the risotto, stir in 1.5 cups of the roasted squash puree (you can freeze the rest to use in vegetable soups) and crumbled feta cheese. Once everything is well combined, stir in the remaining 20g of butter. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Serve immediately garnished with a spoonful of squash flesh and a sprinkle of feta and chilli flakes
Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe
3.2.1275

 

More deliciousness for you!

  • Roasted butternut and sage risottoRoasted butternut and sage risotto
  • Prawn and lemon pepper risottoPrawn and lemon pepper risotto
  • Wild garlic risotto – Spring is in the air!Wild garlic risotto – Spring is in the air!
  • Sausage and fennel risottoSausage and fennel risotto

Never miss a Cooksister post

If you enjoyed this post, enter your e-mail address here to receive a FREE e-mail update when a new post appears on Cooksister

I love comments almost as much as I love cheese - so if you can't leave me any cheese, please leave me a comment instead!

« Saturday Snapshots #285
Saturday Snapshots #286 »

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Rate this recipe:  

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. KalynsKitchen says

    February 28, 2014 at 3:31 pm

    I’m glad you are able to laugh at all this bad luck, because this too shall pass! And if only I lived close enough to bring over dinner, I’d love to do that! xoxo

    Reply
  2. Corina says

    February 28, 2014 at 3:34 pm

    I haven’t tried spaghetti squash yet but this sounds delicious.

    Reply
  3. Kit says

    February 28, 2014 at 6:17 pm

    All your plans sound a whole lot more fun than the non-plans that replaced them, but maybe life has got something up its sleeve to make up for it… gotta be a silver lining somewhere or a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow or diamonds in the sky or something!

    Reply
  4. My Kitchen Stories says

    March 1, 2014 at 11:43 am

    No! You poor thing. I am glad you are here to tell the tale. i am sure you will have lots more opportunities. So sorry for you. hope you are walking OK now

    Reply
  5. [email protected] says

    March 1, 2014 at 7:59 pm

    What a tough you you must have had over the recent weeks since your accident and there is no way to foresee this coming. I had really enjoyed seeing all of your Instagram ski photos but then this happens….awful. I am so impressed that you are able to write, photograph and enjoy dishes such as this delicious risotto. I think I need to get trying more squash down at my allotment too!

    Reply
  6. Jan says

    March 2, 2014 at 10:23 am

    Love the recipe! Nasty accident you had there Jeanne, wishing you better soon x

    Reply
  7. Jacqueline says

    March 2, 2014 at 11:05 am

    You have been through such an ordeal and have just cemented the idea that I never want to go skiing. However I am more than happy to try that risotto. It looks really delicious. Kudos for making it while you are still struggling.

    Reply
  8. Meeta says

    March 3, 2014 at 9:23 am

    Life has its own plan and it does not always go the way we want to. I think however it is the resilient – we – that master (or not) these challenges to make us stronger/wiser and I hope somewhere along the lines a better person. On the up side … this might mean you can catch up on all the blogging you have wanted to do ;o)
    Love the idea of this risotto squash, feta and chilli exciting flavors.

    Reply
  9. Sarah, Maison Cupcake says

    March 3, 2014 at 11:29 am

    I’ve never had spaghetti squash but must look out for it. This looks very comforting. Hope you’re having a better week this week 🙂

    Reply
  10. Rosa says

    March 3, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    Scrumptious and comforting! This risotto is wonderful.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  11. Amy says

    March 3, 2014 at 8:09 pm

    Just made this delicious recipe after correctly identifying spaghetti squash in a box full of mixed squash! The balance of spice from the chilli and the the salt Of the feta is just right and the texture of the squash is wonderful. Thanks a lot. Makes a great change to the traditional chicken or mushroom risottos I’m prone to making. And here’s to a better week!

    Reply
  12. Silvia says

    December 23, 2014 at 10:03 am

    I am using a similar recipe but cooking it way less time, just because I am using a multicooker ( Redmond brand ). It can work under the pressure so I am saving my time.
    Also, anyone can advice me what to put instead of chilli flakes and garlic to have a good taste but no harm for my stomach?

    Reply
  13. Spanish HomeMade says

    February 10, 2016 at 9:31 pm

    This one looks really delicious! We like to use different recipes than the ones we prepare our paella with in London, sussex or Surrey, so we´ll definitely try it; it helps to disconnect 🙂

    Thanks a lot! 🙂

    Reply
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Never miss a Cooksister post!

Get my latest recipes delivered by e-mail!

Search over 500 recipes

Recently on Cooksister

  • Perfect broccoli and Stilton soup [keto, low carb, GF]
  • Masalchi by Atul Kochhar – Indian street food in Wembley
  • Barbecued salmon with blood oranges and capers
  • Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta, pomegranate and pine nuts [GF, V]
  • Love Yourself healthy meal delivery [Review]
  • Antillean
  • Festive roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
  • Rustic blood orange and pistachio galettes

Archives by month

Archives by category

Popular posts

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart - a South African treat
Oxtail and red wine potjie
Nigella's Bakewell slices & the Big Bakewell Taste-off
Beef, broccoli and udon noodle stir fry from "The Japanese Larder" by Luiz Hara
Gem squash 101: how to find them, how to grow them, how to eat them!
Roosterkoek - a South African braai essential

Featured on

Also available on

The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a The wonderful Museum of the Moon installation - a 7 metre diameter scale model of the moon suspended in the Painted Hall at the  @oldroyalnavalcollege in Greenwich this week, by @lukejerramartist. A surreal and fabulous sight!
Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need Do you enjoy free art installations? Then you need to get down to @canarywharflondon between now and Saturday 28 Jan to catch the free Winter Lights 2023 event, back for the seventh year.

My favourites include @lukejerramartist ‘s Floating Earth; Tom Lambert’s Out of the Dark; Fluorescent Firs; Toroid by This is Loop; and the surreal and mesmerising Anima by MEATS - a tunnel filled with hundreds of thin optical fibre lights that change colour and move in the breeze 😍 

Have you been to Winter Lights? What was your favourite?
“When we look down at the Earth from space, we s “When we look down at the Earth from space, we see this amazing, indescribably beautiful planet. It looks like a living, breathing organism. But it also, at the same time, looks extremely fragile.” - International Space Station astronaut Ron Garamond

To experience the “overview effect” (a phenomenon experienced by astronauts viewing the earth from space), head down to Canary Wharf in the London docklands this week where you can see @lukejerramartist ‘s beautiful Floating Earth installation as part of the Winter Lights event. 

This giant 10m diameter installation is created using high resolution NASA images to create a floating scale model of the Earth, lit from within so that it glows from its current home on the Middle Dock, surrounded by the headquarters of international banking and finance corporations.

The artist hopes that viewed in this context, the installation will make visitors and the bankers working in surrounding buildings question how their money in savings and pensions is invested, and whether investments can be greener.

Aside from being a thought provoking piece, it is also mesmerising and surreally beautiful, so make sure you visit the free Winter Lights event before ends on Saturday 28 Jan.
Happy lunar new year! [Invited] To celebrate the Happy lunar new year! 

[Invited] To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit, why not head over to @mamachensdumplings currently doing a residence at the @thegantrylondon in #stratford where you can feast on prawn & chive dumplings; pork, Chinese cabbage and shiitake mushroom dumplings; pork & prawn wontons with Mama Chen’s chilli oil; vegetable dumplings; smacked cucumber salad; and spicy noodles coated in garlic and Szechuan pepper oil.

And afterwards, make sure you head up to the @unionsocialoc bar for a cocktail - I loved the Moreish Fashion with bourbon, PX sherry, chestnuts and mandarin orange bitters!
Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Chr Got leftover Stilton (or any blue cheese) from Christmas? Turn it into this super simple and super indulgent broccoli and Stilton soup! So easy to make and soooo delicious to eat - and it is low carb and GF. What more could you want?! Click the link in my bio for the full recipe. What’s your favourite soup?
CELEBRATE. So the fireworks are over, the champag CELEBRATE.

So the fireworks are over, the champagne is finished and the leftovers are all eaten. We are one week into 2023 and I have had some time to think about what my intent is for the year. 

In 2022 my brother had a life saving kidney transplant. Since the operation, he has had a Peanuts cartoon as his WhatsApp profile pic, where Charlie Brown and Snoopy are sitting on a pier talking. Charlie says “Some day, we all die Snoopy.” And Snoopy replies: “Yes - but every other day, we will live.”

Waking up in the morning is a gift, every day, and it is so easy to forget this. The last few years have been difficult for so many people and the coming year promises its own challenges. But every day that we don’t die is a day to live, to celebrate life in some small way.

So my intention in 2023 is to celebrate. Celebrate our achievements however small. Celebrate our friends and family. Celebrate small things. Celebrate life.

Did you make any resolutions or goals for 2023? I would love to hear them in the comments! Wishing you all the very best for 2023 🥂
Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes fro Happy new year, everyone! Here are some scenes from last night with friends in Deptford. My deconstructed avocado ritz; @twinkleparkstephen ‘s bobitie; Giles’ Ottolenghi tomato salad; and Jean’s clementine trifle - and the London night sky ablaze with fireworks!  How did you spend your evening? 🥂🎇🎆
Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope Merry Christmas to all those celebrating - I hope your day was merry and bright, filled with family, friends and love 🎄🥂. Mine was spent alone at home - my choice and the result of a combination of Covid (not mine!) and rail strikes 🤦‍♀️ but very relaxing and indulgent!
Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter y Looking for a stylish and easy Christmas starter you can make ahead? Look no further than my individual smoked salmon terrine! Hot smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives wrapped in cold smoked salmon in a ramekin. Still one of the most popular Christmas recipes in my blog, it looks cheffy but is soooo simple to make - and will save you time and effort on the day! Get the recipe by clicking on the link in my bio.

How is your Christmas meal prep going? Are you entertaining at home or going to friends or family? 🎄🥂🎄🥂🎄
Load More... Follow me on Instagram

Follow Jeanne Horak-Druiff's board Recipes by Cooksister on Pinterest.

Cooksister

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Bowls of broccoli and Stilton soup
Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli

SITEMAP

Home

Contact

About me

Recipe Index

Restaurant Index

Copyright & Disclaimer

Cookies & privacy policy




blog counter

© 2004 - 2023 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

Copyright © 2023 · Cooksister on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

Cooksister cookie consent
We use cookies to ensure you receive the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions. Accept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT