By Paul Main

Has it started to cool down enough yet to give the grill a rest? The cool weather, a rainy day, or a good fog cover can tempt me away from cooking outside and send me into the house toward warm-up comfort foods.

This month, I wanted to put a spin on a zesty pan-seared pork chop served with a fall classic, butternut squash risotto. These recipes are easy enough that you’ll be warm and fuzzy and right in your culinary comfort zone. If you’re still in the mood to fire up the grill, the pork chop can just as easily be put on an outside flame.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Frozen butternut squash can be found in the freezer section of most markets.

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz. frozen butternut squash

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 yellow onion, minced

1 1/4 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4-5 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2  tablespoons heavy whipping cream

pinch ground white pepper

pinch ground sage

salt and black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Place the thawed squash puree in a microwave-safe dish and heat for about 3 minutes or until hot.

Pour chicken stock into pot and heat to just below a simmer.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook and stir for 2 minutes until the onion begins to soften and becomes translucent, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking and stirring until the rice is glossy from the butter, about 3 minutes.

Pour in the white wine. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-high heat until the wine has evaporated. Stir in half of the squash and 1 cup of the hot chicken stock. Reduce heat to medium and continue stirring until the rice absorbs most of the chicken stock.

Continue adding the chicken stock a cup at a time while stirring. Before finishing, add the remaining squash. Continue stirring until the risotto is creamy looking and the rice plumps up as it absorbs the stock. If the rice remains tough when tasting, add an additional 1/2 cup of stock at a time and cook until the rice has softened.

Finish by stirring in the remaining butter, cream, cheese, white pepper and sage, and salt and pepper the risotto to taste. If risotto becomes starchy (too thick) before serving, stir in some additional stock or warm water to loosen it up. It should be creamy, not chunky.

Serves 4 as an entrée or 6 as a side dish. Garnish with fresh sage leaves.

Southwestern Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

This recipe can also be used for grilling the pork. The preparation below is for pan searing and finishing in the oven.

INGREDIENTS:

Pork

6 1-1 1/2 inch thick center-cut pork loin chops

Southwestern Style Rub

1 1/2  teaspoons New Mexico-style chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1 1/2  teaspoons sugar

1 1/2  teaspoons black pepper

3/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1/2 cup barbecue sauce (your favorite brand will work)

cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Combine first 7 rub ingredients in a small bowl. Rub pork with spice mixture; let stand 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat a skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Using cooking spray (away from the flame), coat the skillet well. Put back on fire and adjust heat to medium-high.

Place pork chops in skillet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sear on the first side for about 3 minutes. Turn pork and cook another 2 minutes. Set pork chops aside in a baking dish. When all the chops are done, brush each side of the chop with the barbecue sauce and place in oven until they have reached your desired level of doneness, or about 8-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-7 minutes. Slice and drizzle with pan juice or add additional barbecue sauce to taste.

Makes 6 servings (as long as you don’t share with anyone).

Cooking Safety Tip:

Most of you know to wash your hands when cooking. None of us want our families, friends or co-workers to get sick because we forgot this basic principle. So, before you begin cooking, always wash your hands with soap under warm water for at least 20 seconds (about as long as it takes to sing a kids’ song, like your “ABCs”). Wash your hands often, especially when handling raw meats, fish and poultry.

To learn more about food safety, go to www.foodsafety.gov. Keep safe and keep cooking!

These and other recipes from local first responders are on our web site! Feed your culinary curiosity at www.ValleyResponseMagazine.com

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