The weather is cooling, which means meals are getting hotter and movies are getting cosier. There’s a very good chance you were forced to watch and analyse this in Year 10 English. Pride and Prejudice (2005) is everything you could want in a film. It is the OG enemies-to-lovers trope, a peak period piece comedy filled with romantic tension, and it gave us the beauty that is Mr. Darcy’s hand flex. If I haven’t sold you just from the flex alone, then allow me to convince you with my sixty word synopsis of Pride and Prejudice.
Elizabeth is one of five Bennet daughters who must marry well to secure her future. Elizabeth meets the wealthy Darcy at a ball, but he slights her and she is repulsed. Various family intrigues either reinforce or counter her opinion of him. When Darcy first proposes, she refuses angrily, but her opinion improves and she eventually falls in love. They marry.
This wholesome film is paired with an equally heartwarming vegan butternut squash risotto.
Vegan Butternut Squash Risotto
Ingredients:
Butternut Purée
1/4 squash, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp of dried sage
2 tbsp non-dairy butter
3/4 cup veg stock
Salt
Butternut Squash Topping
1/4 squash diced small
1 tbsp oil
Salt
Browned Sage Butter
1/2 cup non-dairy butter
2 tbsp dried sage
Risotto
4-5 cups stock
1/2 cup diced onion 2 cloves garlic
1 cup risotto rice
2 tbsp oil
1/4 cup white wine 2 cups rocket
Salt and pepper
Recipe
Purée: In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced squash, garlic, and the sage. Pour in the stock and add salt to taste. Boil the squash until fork tender. Once the squash is cooked, transfer the squash mixture to a blender (let it cool first, if necessary for your blender) and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.
Butternut Topping: Coat diced squash in oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven for approx 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
Sage Butter: Place the butter into a small pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally to make sure that the butter does not burn. Add sage and continue to cook until the butter browns evenly. If using fresh sage, remove the leaves. Put in a small bowl and let cool.
Risotto: In a large pan or pot, on a low heat, add oil and sweat the onions until soft and translucent. Add salt to taste. Then add 1/4 cup of the stock liquid to further soften onions. Once the liquid has evaporated, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the rice all at once. Stir to coat the rice in the oil. Toast the rice for a few minutes. Once toasted, add the garlic. Deglaze the rice with the wine and stir until the wine evaporates. Add one cup of the stock and once it is almost absorbed, add 1 to 2 cups of the butternut squash puree and mix well.
When the puree thickens and reduces, continue to add stock only after the previous cup of stock has been absorbed. Stir frequently. Continue to add liquid and cook the risotto until it reaches the al dente stage (or to your preference). Once cooked, add salt and pepper to your desired taste. Fold in the roasted butternut squash and rocket. Mix well to warm and soften. Just before serving, add a bit of stock or leftover purée to loosen the consistency, if necessary.
To serve, top with fresh rocket and drizzle with browned sage butter.
Enjoy! (@ChefXzadz for more recipes)