I am visiting my parents in my most favorite place, Stone Harbor,NJ, while we are in town for Thanksgiving this week. My mom made the most delicious recipe from Food and Wine, and modified it a bit for me to keep it healthy and anti-inflammatory. This Veal Bolognese with Butternut Squash is a perfect meal for a cold winter night! We served it over spaghetti squash to keep it Paleo and Whole 30 approved. There is wine in the recipe. You could omit for strict Whole 30 and add more chicken stock, but the wine adds so much flavor and cooks down, so I recommend leaving it in there!
Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, chopped finely
2 tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, chopped finely
1 stalk celery, chopped finely
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
1 lb ground veal
1 sage sprig
1 parsley sprig
1 bay leaf
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 cup dry red wine
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 medium butternut squash or acorn squash, peeled, seeds removed and cup into 1/2 inch cubes
Chopped basil for garnish
1 large Spaghetti Squash
Directions:
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon in the olive oil until crispy. Add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften but do not start to get too brown. Add the veal, sage, parsley, bay leaf, oregano, and basil. Break up the veal with a wooden spoon or spatula and cook until the veal is no longer pink and cooked through.
Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring until almost evaporated. Add the tomatoes and cook until the liquid is reduced to almost half. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat for an additional 7-8 minutes. Add the squash and continue to simmer for 25 minutes or so. Season with salted pepper and remove the herbs.
To cook the Spaghetti Squash, poke a few holes in the spaghetti squash with a knife. Place the squash in a microwave safe dish and add 1 inch of water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 20-25 minutes or until the squash is very soft. Carefully remove the plastic wrap (the steam will be very hot!). Cut the spaghetti squash in half with a large chef’s knife. Remove the seeds and scrape the strands of spaghetti squash out of the shell and into a bowl.
Serve the Veal Bolognese over Spaghetti Squash or gluten free pasta. Sprinkle with chopped basil. Enjoy!
