Categories: Grain & LegumesMain DishesVegetables

Butternut Squash – Lentil Ragout

12 years ago

Over the
years, I’ve developed a fondness for butternut squash and like to try it in
different ways. I decided to prepare
a ragout combining butternut squash with lentils for a hearty, meatless meal.

A ragout
(pronounced – ra-goo) is a simple method of preparation which involves slow
cooking. Ragouts can be prepared with or without meat. A variety of vegetables
may be added, and the dish can be lightly or heavily seasoned.

It’s all according
to your taste preferences.

Butternut Squash-Lentil
Ragout

Butternut Squash – Lentil Ragout

Yield:
about 4 (1- cup) servings

Ingredients:

1/2-inch cubes of butternut squash

1 ½ lb.
butternut squash, peeled, cut lengthwise, seeds removed, and squash cut into
½-inch pieces

1 onion, coarsely
chopped

2 garlic
cloves, sliced

About 2 Tbsp.
olive oil

¾ cup brown lentils,
sorted and rinsed

1 cup
vegetable stock (or water)

1 tsp. cumin

½ tsp.
cinnamon – or – allspice

2 Tbsp. lemon
juice

Salt and
pepper

Garnish: chopped
parsley, optional

Directions:

Step #1

1. Preheat
oven to 400°F. Place squash cubes, onions and garlic on a foil-lined baking
sheet. Drizzle with about 2 Tbsp. olive oil; toss to coat. Roast for 30-35 minutes
or until squash is tender. (Roasting the vegetables enhances the flavor of the
dish.)

Step #2

2. While the vegetables
are roasting, place the lentils in a 6-quart pot covering them with cold water;
bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot; reduce heat to simmer and cook until lentils
are tender but not mushy, about 30 minutes. If the water evaporates, add a
little more.

3. Add 1 cup
of vegetable stock (or water) to the pot with the lentils; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat. Add the cumin, cinnamon (or allspice), lemon juice, and roasted
vegetables; simmer for about 15 minutes to combine flavors. If the ragout appears
to be too dry, add a little more vegetable stock or water.

4. Just
before serving, season with salt and pepper, and adjust other seasonings, if
necessary. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serve with rice or couscous, if desired.

NOTE: If you’d like to make this dish a
bit more elegant, you can add 1/4 cup of coarsely chopped, dried apricots, softened
in a little hot water, to step #3.

Robyn’s Suggestion: If you have any leftover ragout, give it a whirl in the food processor. Add a bit of liquid (water or broth) to thin it out, heat it through, and serve it as soup!