Monday, January 5, 2009

Butternut Squash with pasta


This is a recipe from the current edition of Cooks Illustrated. http://www.cooksillustrated.com Let me get this out now. I don't like squash. I know that is a very myopic viewpoint, but when I think of squash, I think of the overcooked yellow mush from my youth. I try it occasionally. If it is on the plate of "mixed vegetables" I will eat it, even if I don't like it. Sometimes that is necessary to remind oneself of why they don't like it. I also want to point out that saying "I don't like squash" is like saying "I don't like sandwiches." There are sooooo many different varieties of squash that it is not fair to sum it all up in one word. This was my first attempt at butternut squash. This is bacon fried crisp and some sage leaves crisped in the pan drippings. Then you brown the cubed squash. Then next step is adding onion and seasonings. Steam it for a minute in chicken stock and let it reduce. Toss the mixture with penne, add lemon and Parmesan. Serve it up and try it. It wasn't "Wow! I can't wait to have it again!", but it was edible. OK, it was better than edible, but I won't be serving it up again soon. Whatever that means.....

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