Use this recipe as a blueprint for any vegetable-based risotto. The best way to preserve the freshness of the vegetables is to cook them separately and add them halfway through the cooking of the risotto. For hardier vegetables such as radicchio, mushrooms, artichokes, or asparagus, briefly sauté them, just enough to wilt or soften them, and then add them to the risotto. For something like butternut squash, you can either cube the squash and sauté it, or bake the halved squash and scoop the roasted pulp directly into the risotto, for a creamy and comforting result. The same can be done with tomatoes: Roast them, blend them into a creamy sauce, and stir it into the risotto. Tender vegetables, such as zucchini, zucchini blossoms, or even fresh fava beans and peas, can be added raw into the risotto in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Add fresh herbs for freshness …