Acorn Squash Ragout

Fall is officially here! Or at least it is in Minnesota. The garden is slowly dying, leaves are turning colors, and temperatures went below freezing last night (there was actually snow an hour north of us). Yes, I would say that makes it officially fall. Fall is one of my favorite times of the year. The air is crisp and clean, sweaters are back, the holidays are right around the corner and there's a whole batch of new vegetables to be found at the farmer's market. Here is an easy recipe to highlight these delicious vegetables. This dish also makes a great showcase for a fall or Thanksgiving dinner party.

Acorn Squash Ragout:


(Disclaimer: I never measure ingredients when I cook, only when I bake, and I'm always improvising with whatever I have in the fridge or pantry so all measurements are approximate)

Ingredients:
2 acorn squash
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 T oregano (more or less depending on preference)
1-2 garlic cloves minced
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced tomatoes (I also added a little tomato paste and some chicken stock to thicken it up since I wasn't using canned tomatoes and didn't have that extra juice)
1/4 c diced potatoes/carrots/sweet potatoes (or any other root veggies you like)
1/4 c diced bell pepper
1/4 c sweet corn

Directions:


1) Cut the tops off of the acorn squash and scoop out the seeds and fiber
2) Cut a thin piece of the bottom off so the squash stands upright
3) Grease a baking sheet and the outside and lid of the acorn squash
4) Saute the oil, orgegano, garlic, and onion for 3-4 minutes
5) Add the rest of the veggies and simmer for 5-10 minutes (longer if your potatoes don't get tender), season with salt and pepper to taste
6) Scoop ragout into acorn squash
7) Bake on 350 degrees for 60-90 minutes until you can insert a fork into the top of the squash easily
8) Top with cinnamon or nutmeg if you like

I wrote the first half of this post while my squash was cooking in the oven and now having just finished it for dinner I'm even more excited to share this recipe with you. This was one of the most amazing dishes I have ever eaten. It's so hard to describe all the flavors except to say it seriously tastes like fall on a fork/spoon. I can see eating this once a week throughout fall/winter.

After you cut off the top, scoop out all the insides (leave the good "meat" of the squash)

Cut a thin slice off the bottom so it stands upright

The "ragout" can be made a day ahead of time and then baked in the squash right before dinner

AMAZING!! I'm thinking of maybe trying pumpkin next time