Monday, October 3, 2011

Roasted Acorn Squash and Harvest Grains

If you're ever in Santa Monica, California, go to The Market at the Santa Monica Place.  They call it a "market" but really it's just the fanciest food court you've ever seen - with fresh, artisan products, unique beers on tap, cafes, baked goods, A COOKING SCHOOL and this:


That is pancetta, sold to me by an Italian man with a thick accent who told me this particular cut was from the cheek of the pig.  Ok.  He could have told me it was from the toenail, and I would have bought it.  I was too entranced by everything around me.  Not bad, Santa Monica, not bad.  Let's see how you compare to Eataly in New York, which I'll be visiting in just a few days...

Back to the pancetta.  I had no clue what to do with it, but I bought it anyway.  And I went home, and I started browning it.  Hmm, what next...


I found an acorn squash.  I cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, cut it into quarters and roasted it at 450 for 30 minutes, flipping it once...


I started sauteing some shiitake mushrooms (why 2 i's?) in the pancetta fat (of course I added butter) and sprinkled them with sage...


And then I made some Harvest Grains (but you could use any type of rice or pasta), mixed everything together and sprinkled it with Parmesan cheese.


Did I forget to mention the roasted garlic?  Everything in my fridge went into this dish.  One of those 'leaving town for a week' meals.

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