Roasted Garlic & Butternut Squash Cassoulet
We’re celebrating World Vegetarian Day with a hearty butternut squash Cassoulet. A nourishing 1 pot meal from southwestern France slowly cooked in a cassole-the traditional clay pot in the hearth, we tweaked a traditional recipe for a meatless Monday. Makes 8 servings & tastes even better the next day!
Simple Ingredients:
1 whole garlic head
2 tablespoons. Villa Graziella Organic 8-Year Aged Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Villa Graziella Organic Extra Virgin Olio Nuovo Olive Oil.
2 cups vertically sliced onion
4 1/2 cups (approx. 2 lbs.) peeled butternut squash cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1/2 cup organic vegetable broth (can substitute with chicken broth)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon. freshly ground black pepper
4 (15 oz.) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed & drained
3 bay leaves
2 (1 oz.) slices of bread or 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Easy Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). Wrap garlic head in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven & cool 10 minutes.
Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Set pulp aside, discard skins & preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat with 2 tbs. oil to pan, add sliced onions
Reduce heat to medium-low; cook 25 minutes, until onion is tender & browned, stirring frequently.
Stir in vinegar over low heat, add garlic pulp, squash, broth, thyme, salt, pepper & beans to onion mixture, stirring well, cover.
Place bread in food processor & pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.
Combine bread crumbs, cheese, & remaining olive oil; sprinkle evenly over squash mixture.
Cover & bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes or until squash is tender. Uncover & bake an additional 15 minutes or until topping is browned. Discard bay leaf.
Let sit covered for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley, serve & enjoy with Villa Graziella Artisan Crafted Wine Made with Organic Grapes