This recipe for orzo, winter squash, and applewood-smoked bacon is from the cookbook, Simply Done, Well Done.
Author Aaron McCargo, Jr. writes:
This dish will keep you in the house on a blustery fall day. I don’t usually go for comfort foods, not because I don’t like them but because they are not generally as highly seasoned as I like, but this orzo is comfort food with a capital C. I love it with roasted chicken or pan-seared flounder. The cheeses make the orzo creamy, offset by the saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the squash.
Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors:
I’m a fan of orzo (the delicious delight of pasta mixed with the fun size of rice), so the idea of adding bacon and winter squash (which I buy already peeled and chopped) sounded like genius. Oh, did I mention the mascarpone? As McCargo notes: “Rich, triple-cream mascarpone cheese is a luxury well worth indulging in every now and then.” I served this last week and already want to cook it again. Easy-to-make indulgence is my kind of recipe.
Orzo, Winter Squash, and Applewood-Smoked Bacon
Featured Recipe From: Simply Done, Well Done
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 2 cups peeled, cubed butternut squash (1 medium squash)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 slices applewood-smoked bacon
- 2 tablespoons diced shallots
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound orzo
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
Directions:
To Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a large roasting pan, toss the cubed squash with the olive oil and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until fork-tender. Remove from the oven and set aside.
In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the skillet. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until they begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the squash, scallions, basil, pepper, and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring, until hot and well mixed.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook the orzo according to the package directions.
Add the orzo and broth to the skillet and cook until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and crumble the bacon into the skillet. Add the mascarpone and stir.
In a small bowl, toss the parmesan with the parsley. Sprinkle the parmesan-parsley mixture over each serving.
© 2010 Aaron McCargo, Jr.
Reprinted with permission from Simply Done, Well Done, by Aaron McCargo, Jr., with Mary Goodbody, photography by Lucy Schaeffer (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011)
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Thanks you for sharing this great recipe!