Butternut Pilaf

Greeks like to use fresh pumpkin to make savory and sweet pies, fritters and croquettes, casseroles and a myriad of other dishes but these dishes are virtually unknown outside of Greece. This dish is 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 the more readily available butternut squash. Also, 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 healthy brown rice. The grated butternut squash adds color and nutrients to this brown rice pilaf for a perfect side dish.

Total Time: 1 hour 

Ingredients (8 servings, about 3/4 cup each)

• 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
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds, (see Note below)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation

1. Grate the squash through the large holes of a box grater.
2. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Combine 2 tablespoons water and tomato paste in a small bowl and stir it into the pan. Add rice and stir to coat. Add the squash, in batches if necessary, and stir until it has reduced in volume enough so that you can cover the pan.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, pour in 1 3/4 cups water (or broth) and wine, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, stirring once or twice, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the squash is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. Add fennel fronds, oregano, salt, cinnamon, dried cranberries and pepper; gently stir to combine. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Note:  Fennel “fronds” are the feathery tops on fennel bulbs that look similar to fresh dill and have a mild licorice flavor.  Look for fresh fennel bulbs—with their fronds still attached. You'll need to buy one large or two smaller bulbs of fennel to have enough fronds to make 1/2 cup chopped. 

Nutrition

Per serving: 152 calories; 6 g fat ( 1 g sat , 4 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 4 g fiber; 302 mg sodium; 333 mg potassium.