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Acorn Squash, Ricotta & Maple Apple Slaw|Weston Table

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Acorn Squash, Ricotta & Maple Apple Slaw
If you are unfamiliar with The Lost Kitchen, Erin French's postcard-reservation-only restaurant in Freedom, Maine, this recipe is a window into her style of cooking. She cooks only with seasonally appropriate and locally sourced ingredients and puts her heart and soul into a menu that looks as good as it tastes. Her home-cooking inspired recipes are uncomplicated, but packed with nuance. While not exactly as Ms. French may have dreamt it up, this roasted squash recipe has it all: palate pleasing velvety smoothness from the pumpkin and ricotta cheese, crunchy tart apple flavor, and a classic maple syrup pairing drizzled over the top. It makes for a fabulous, room temperature Thanksgiving side dish, but is also tasty served right from the oven alongside a roasted chicken for a splendid fall and winter easy week night meal. We used the WT Barrel-Aged Bourbon and Rye Maple Syrup for a bit of added sophistication, but ordinary maple syrup is mighty fine.
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cuisine American
difficulty Easy
season Fall & Winter
serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

  • 2 acorn squash, quartered, seeds removed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes
  • 8 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 tablespoons ricotta
  • 2 honeycrisp apples, sliced into matchsticks
  • 2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1 small handful baby arugula
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • Maple syrup, warmed
  • Sea salt flakes, for finishing

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. (use convection if setting available).
  2. Evenly divide the butter among the squash boats. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon brown sugar and season each boat with the ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until a fork is easily inserted into the deepest part of the squash.
  3. Combine the shallot and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl. Let macerate.
  4. Slice the apples into matchsticks (use a hand held mandoline if you have one) and toss the apples and the thyme into the vinaigrette along with a tablespoon of maple syrup.
  5. Place a smear of ricotta down the center of each squash boat, top with a few argula leaves, and a generous heap of apple slaw. 
  6. Tableside, just before serving, drizzle the maple syrup over each boat. 
  7. Finish with a flourish of sea salt flakes.

Kitchen Notes

Any firm crisp apple will do. We especially enjoy locally grown apple varieties that help support small farming operations. Sometimes, we use the broiler for a minute or two to crisp up the flesh of the squash if for whatever reason the squash is not caramelizing--this is more for aesthetics, but we do also like the added depth of caramel flavor. 
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