The JP Special

Tonight, my motorcycle helmet got stolen out of the locker room at my school. I was not pleased. I will tell you that having the foresight to par-boil some chunked butternut squash last night was truly prescient. I had leftover kale and spinach from other recipes so thought it’d all work nicely together. It did. In fact, it’s one of the best on-the-fly meals I’ve ever made. It’s low carb (not if you have it with a beer, like I am, mind you), high protein, packed with lovely vitamins and not insignificantly, makes a pretty plate in the end.

Behold:

Butternut Squash Ragu with Vrapple, Greens, and Shallots with Egg. Poached eggs: the best topper of all time. Goat cheese, a dollop of fresh ricotta, mascarpone, or yogurt would be acceptable substitutes. Not equal. Substitutes.

1 T. olive oil

1/2 T. butter

1/2 butternut squash, diced (parcooked the day before for quickest cooking)— about 2-3 cups [I’ve frozen the other 1/2 of the squash, also parcooked for a barley risotto I plan to make after Turkey Day but if you wanted to double this and use the whole thing, god speed.]

2-3 ounces vrapple (or your favorite crumbly sausage), diced

1-2 cups chopped kale

2-3 cups chopped spinach

1 large shallot, minced

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper to taste

4 eggs poached (poaching: bring water to gentle boil; slide egg into water 1 at a time out of a small ramekin or prep dish; cook 1-2 minutes)

Cooking:

Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add oil and butter. Add butternut squash, a sprinkling of salt, and cook over low-medium heat 5 minutes (10 minutes if starting with raw squash). Add vrapple and shallots. Break up vrapple (or sausage) with spoon so it crumbles and distributes through the dish nicely. Once the vrapple cooks down a bit, season with salt and pepper. Crank to medium heat. Add in greens; let them start to wilt. Add cider, cover, let everything stew till cider cooks off over medium heat. Once greens are wilted, squash is a little creamy, etc, add cinnamon off heat and stir gently.

In bowl, put in heaping spoonful of ragu and top with poached egg. Serves 4.

Final note: except for the olive oil and the butter (from Vermont) this meal was a totally local feast, most items within 65 miles of Philly, the rest within 100. Our farmstand rules. So does Sarah, my officemate, Vrapple visionary.