Papa Legba is a loa, or spirit, thought to stand between human and the spirit world. He's usually the first to appear in a ceremony, often appearing as an old man with a cane wearing a straw hat and smoking a pipe (pretty much the look I strive for in old age). He can help to remove obstacles that lay in a person's way, but he has also been portrayed as a trickster and one to be wary of. In culinary affairs, he can be hard to please. Legba demands food be grilled, so make sure that butternut squash goes on the BBQ.

serves 8

1.5 large yellow onions, small dice

8 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 c butter

2 c arborio rice

5 ripe plantains, small or medium dice

6 cups stock

1 bay leaf

2 tsp celery seed

2 tsp thyme

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/2 inch slices

12 oz sliced prosciutto

4 slices pumpernickel bread

salt and pepper

melted butter

olive oil

for the risotto:



1. In a large pan on medium heat, sweat onions and garlic in butter until translucent.

2. Add rice, and toast for two minutes.

3. Add plantains, bay and spices. Stir.

4. Reduce heat to medium/low. Add stock slowly, 1 cup at a time. Before adding the next cup of liquid, be sure that the rice has absorbed the liquid it is already cooking in. Risotto will be rich & creamy when finished. If you can still see the nucleus of the rice grain and it is crunchy, more liquid is needed. If rice looks/tastes done at 5 cups, do not add the 6th. This can vary depending on the altitude of which you are cooking.



for the grilled butternut squash:



1. Heat your grill to medium heat.

2. Brush olive oil on each side of squash, and season with salt and pepper.

3. Place directly on hot grill. Cook on both sides - a couple minutes each - until tender. Remove and allow to cool before cutting.



for the crispy prosciutto:



1. Preheat oven to 325.

2. Lay prosciutto flat on a sheet tray with a rack.

3. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until prosciutto looks leathery. Remove from oven.

4. Meat may still look bendable while hot. Once cooled, it should break if you try to bend it. If it doesn’t snap, cook again for another 10 minutes or so until crispness is achieved.



for the pumpernickel crumbs:



1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Lay bread on a sheet pan and toast in the oven until 100% dried, about 10 minutes.

3. Once cooled, pulse crumbs in a food processor until it is the texture of sand.

4. Place crumbs in a bowl. Stir in melted butter until evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper.



to plate:



Shingle 1/4 inch sliced butternut squash in a circular motion. Divide risotto among plates, scooping into the center so that it is partially on top of the grilled squash. Gently stick crispy prosciutto into the risotto, opposite of the squash. Garnish with herbs (parsley/chives), and sprinkle pumpernickel crumbs on top.