HILTON HEAD—Tom and Eleanor Krebs of Holy Family Church submitted this recipe by Lea Lapsley, the director of dietary and dining services of The Seabrook of Hilton Head, a retirement community.
Pear-and-Squash bruschetta
Yields 12 pieces
1½ pounds butternut squash
2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
12 fresh sage leaves
3 pears, cored, cut into half-inch cubes
Salt & pepper to taste
½ loaf French baguette or Batard
¼ pound smoked mozzarella
Walnut oil to garnish
Peel squash, reserve peels. Halve squash, scrape out and discard seeds then cut into half-inch cubes and set aside. In a pot, combine squash peelings, onions and carrots. Add water to cover, bring to a boil, and simmer 45 minutes. Strain, reserve the stock and discard the solids.
In a large, shallow pan, heat olive oil and butter. Add sage and fry for 30 seconds or until crisp. Remove sage, drain on paper towels and reserve for garnish. Add squash and pears to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until squash starts to brown. Add 1 cup of the reserved stock and cook until reduced. Repeat, using about 3 more cups of stock, until squash is soft but still holds its shape. Season with salt and pepper.
Slice bread into half-inch-thick slices. Toast at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Spoon warm pear-squash mixture onto toasted bread. Garnish bruschetta with ribbons of mozzarella, sage leaves and drizzles of walnut oil.
Send Recipes for your favorite family meals to Anne Clark, aclark@catholic-doc.org.