Butternut Squash with Corn, Spinach, Bacon, Onions, and Basil

[Alex]

Butternut Squash with Corn, Spinach, Bacon, Onions, and Basil

Serves 8 as Side.

Thanks to MatthewB for turning me on to this simple recipe, which originally appeared in the November 1998 Bon Appétit. I'm sure that it's a given on eGullet, but I'd still like to emphasize that the fresher the ingredients, the better. (The original recipe specified packaged spinach and frozen corn.) Proportions can be adjusted at will. I made this for the 2003 Heartland Gathering in Grand Rapids using thick-cut farm bacon, with the other ingredients coming straight from the GR Farmer's Market. Outstanding!

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½ lb bacon

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1 large onion (about 2 cups chopped)

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1 large butternut squash

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9-10 oz spinach leaves

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4-6 ears corn or 1 lb frozen kernels

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½ cup or more chopped fresh basil

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salt and pepper

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Prep: Chop bacon crosswise, ~1/3-1/2" wide. Chop onion into fine dice. Peel squash (and seed, if using round segment) and cut into ~1/3" dice. Wash and coarsely chop spinach, if needed; baby spinach can be left whole. If using fresh corn, remove husk and silk and cut kernels from cob. Wait to chop the basil until it's time to add it.

Cook: In a large pot or sauté pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is just getting crisp. Add the onion and squash and sauté until the squash is just tender (10-12 min.). Add the corn. If using frozen corn or older fresh corn, cook for a few minutes before adding the spinach; if using very fresh corn, add the spinach at the same time. Cook until the spinach wilts. Chop, then stir in the basil. Add salt (careful!) and pepper to taste.

Keywords: Side, Easy, Vegetables, American

( RG737 )