Butternut Squash and Sage Oven Risotto

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (may substitute coconut oil or ghee), plus more for serving

2 medium yellow onions, finely diced (about 3 cups)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed

5 to 7 cups homemade or store-bought no-salt-added vegetable broth

4 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup lightly packed fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes

2½ cups short-grain brown rice, soaked overnight if possible (see note)

1 rind pecorino Romano cheese (optional), plus more cheese for serving (optional)

Heat the oil in a large, ovenproof pot fitted with a lid over medium heat. Add the onions and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent and slightly caramelized, about 10 minutes, adding a little broth if the pot becomes too dry. Stir in the garlic and sage and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.

Add the squash, rice, 5 cups of the broth and the cheese rind, if using. Stir well, cover, transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven, stir once and check the liquid levels. If the broth is not still covering the rice, add 1 cup or so of broth, then cover and return the pot to the oven to continue baking. Check every 15 minutes or so until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy and loose but not runny. If it seems too stiff, stir in a little broth to loosen slightly. The risotto should cook for about 60 minutes total if your rice has been soaked, up to 90 minutes if you start with dried rice. Taste, and add more salt, as needed.

Serve hot, with a drizzle of oil and extra pecorino Romano grated over the top, if desired.

Note: If you can, soak the short-grain brown rice in water overnight, which will make the risotto cook more quickly. The risotto can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months; you'll want to add a little more broth when you reheat it, to return it to a loose consistency.

Serves 6 to 8 (makes about 10 cups)

Nutritional analysis | Per serving (based on 8): 320 calories, 5 g protein, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 69 g carbohydrates, 290 mg sodium, 7g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar

Adapted from "Naturally Nourished," by Sarah Britton (Clarkson Potter, 2017).