Healthy Recipe: Butternut Squash Pilaf
Healthy Eating - Yield: 8 servings, about 3/4 cup each Servings: 8 Prep Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Recipe Description: Grated butternut squash adds color and nutrients to this brown rice pilaf. Greeks like to use winter squash, especially pumpkin, to make savory and sweet pies, fritters and croquettes, casseroles and myriad other dishes with fall’s telltale vegetables, but these dishes are virtually unknown outside the country. It’s traditionally made with pumpkin, but since most pumpkins in the U.S. are grown for carving jack-o’-lanterns (and not for cooking), we’ve modified the recipe to work with readily available butternut squash. The original dish calls for Greek pilaf rice, a short-grained, polished rice that is hard to find outside the country, so we’ve substituted instant brown rice. Recipe Ingredients: 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, halved and seeded 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 large red onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 cup instant or parboiled brown rice 1 3/4 cups water or 1 14-ounce can vegetable broth 1/2 cup white wine 1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds (see Ingredient Note) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon salt Pinch of cinnamon Freshly ground pepper to taste Recipe Steps: Grate the squash through the large holes of a box grater. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet ...
