Roasted Acorn Squash and Braised Pears
- Yield 4 cups
Ingredients
- 2-3/4 pound acorn squash, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into ½-inch rough dice, (4 to 5 cups)
- 3 tablespoons clarified butter, melted, plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup small diced red onion
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 red barlett pears, cut into 1/2-inch rough dice, about 2 cups
- 1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl toss the squash with the melted clarified butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon salt. Transfer the squash to the prepared baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside at least 5 minutes before combining with the warm pears.
- In a small saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, the remaining salt, and pepper and cook until onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the diced pears and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, or until barely tender. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Remove from the heat. (You don’t want to cook the pears too long. You want them to retain their shape.)
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the roasted squash, the rosemary and the braised pears with their cooking liquid. Toss gently to combine. Serve warm.
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, copyright MSLO, Inc., all rights reserved
