Butternut Squash and Chard

This is a beautiful dish that would be perfect to serve for any dinner party.   It is pretty, healthy and very satisfying.  This would be perfect served with a cup of bean soup.

Ingredients

1 butternut squash
¼ cup maple syrup
1 t. mild & creamy Dijon mustard
1 T. red wine vinegar
4 T. water
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup whole grain red rice
½ cup wild rice
1 bunch red chard
½ bunch lacinato kale
1 shallot, finely minced
1 T. maple sugar
3 T. champagne vinegar
½ cup dried cherries
½ cup toasted pecans or lightly glazed pecans

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the outer skin off the squash, then cut lengthwise and clean out the cavity of the squash.  Cut in ½” strips (note you will have some that are “C” shaped and others that are semi circle shaped.)  Place the squash in a large bowl.

Using a small measuring cup, add the maple syrup, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, water and salt & pepper.  Mix well and pour over the squash.  Place the squash in a large glass baking dish and cover with foil.  Bake for 45 minutes, remove from oven and take the foil off the dish.

While the squash is cooking prepare both the red and wild rice together in a rice cooker with 2 ½ cups of water.

Rinse the chard off and then cut the main red stem.  Chop the stem in small pieces and thinly slice the chard. 

Clean the kale and remove and discard the center stem, thinly slice the kale.

Using a large skillet add the shallot and the red stems from the chard.  Add approximately 2 – 3 T. water and sauté over medium high heat until the shallots soften about 2 -3 minutes. 

Place the chard, kale, maple sugar and 2 T. of the champagne vinegar in the same skillet along with the shallots and stems.  Toss lightly everything together and sauté for another 1 to 2 minutes, do not over cook the greens so they are mushy.  Just coat the greens really well with the vinegar and maple sugar.  Remove from the heat and place in a large salad bowl.

Add the rice, cherries and the remaining tablespoon of champagne vinegar in with the greens.  Toss and coat everything well.

Place 2 of the semi circle pieces of squash together to form a solid circle on a dinner plate.  Place this in the middle of the plate.  Next place a nice size helping of the greens and rice on top of the squash.  Finish by placing 4 “c” shaped pieces of squash around the greens and garnish with 3 or 4 toasted pecans.