Risotto with butternut and leeks and fresh basil

Wash and skin 1 medium butternut squash. Dice the flesh into about 1/4 - 1/2" dice. Wash 2 leeks, slicking little discs about 1/8" from the white end to the light green. Clean a large handful of fresh basil. Have 1 tablespoon thyme ready. Shred parmesan cheese, 1 1/2 cups (maybe about 6-8oz?)

Heat up a 28 oz box of chicken broth. Have aside.

In a large pot, melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil.. Add the squash and stir and cook 5 minutes. Remove the squash. Add the leeks and thyme, cook for a few minutes, the discs will separate. Remove these.

In the pot, you might need to add another tablespoon of olive oil, depends whether you left any behind when you removed the veges. Up to you. Add 1 1/2 cups arborio rice. Stir about 3-4 minutes, the rice will become a little toasty. Add 1/2-3/4 cup of dry white wine (Chardonnay works). Cook and stir until the wine is absorbed. Now start adding the hot chicken broth, 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring while the chicken broth absorbs. Continue adding cupfuls one at a time, cooking and stirring between additions, until all the broth is gone and the rice is tender. This takes about 25 minutes.

When it's tender, put the squash and leeks back in, stir and heat up a bit, then add most of the cheese and most of the fresh basil, keeping a bit for topping the individual servings. Andiamo!