This dish reminds me of Halloween. The roasted squash echoes candles burning Jack O’Lanterns and the cider vinegar and cinnamon echoes hot cider. The bacon reflects wood fires or leaves burning.
INGREDIENTS:
1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 3/8th inch thin discs 1 savoy cabbage (or 4 cups sliced), cut into wedges 1½ inches at the widest, then sliced 1/8th inch across 1 brown onion, peeled and cut into fine dice 2 thick cut slices of smoky bacon, cut into ¼ inch batons 8-10 sage leaves or needles from a 3 inch sprig of fresh rosemary Pinch of garlic powder 1/8th teaspoon cinnamon powder ½ cup apple juice ¼ cup cider vinegar Grapeseed or other neutral flavored oil as needed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more as needed Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Prepare a baking sheet to hold the squash discs and oil it lightly.
Toss the squash discs in a bowl with enough oil to coat them. Season with salt and pepper and lightly with the garlic powder. Place the discs in a single layer on the sheet pan and scatter the sage or rosemary over them. Bake in the center of the oven 30-45 minutes, turning half-way through, until done. The discs should be tender and golden, crisp on the edges with flecks of brown on them.
While the discs roast, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, barely film the pan with oil and cook the bacon until just crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. DO NOT pour out the bacon fat.
Add the onions to the hot fat and stir to coat. Cook until the onion is tender, but not yet browning. Add the 2 tablespoons of butter and when it stops foaming, add the cinnamon. Swirl the pan so the cinnamon spreads out. Add the cabbage, and toss to coat well with the fats in the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Cook for several minutes until the cabbage is wilted, tossing to prevent browning. When the cabbage has wilted, add the apple juice. Bring to a boil and cook until it has almost entirely evaporated, tossing to coat the cabbage in the juice. Add the vinegar, and toss to coat. Cook until the liquid has evaporated. The cabbage should be tender and nicely coated with a light glaze form the fats and juice/vinegar.
Sprinkle the bacon over the cabbage and toss to mix. Keep the cabbage warm until the squash is ready.
When the squash is ready, transfer the discs to a platter and top each disc with a mound of cabbage, and serve hot.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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