Caramelized Squash and Tomato Ragout with Spanish Chorizo and Bellwether Farms Pepato on Walnut Crostini
Serve with Kendall-Jackson Syrah

The toasted notes of the caramelized squash, rich peppery flavors of Pepato cheese and subtle spiciness of the Spanish chorizo make this an interesting match with our intensely flavored Vintners Reserve Syrah.

Recipe by Chef Justin Wangler

30 appetizer servings

Squash Ragout Ingredients:

2 lbs zucchini squash, seeds removed and cut into ¼" dice
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
2 Tbsp. garlic, sliced thin
½ C. olive oil
2 Tbsp. shallots, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
16 oz canned San Marzano tomatoes, crushed with liquid

Ragout Preparation:

1. IIn a bowl toss zucchini with salt to coat evenly. Place into a strainer and cover with paper towels. Place a weight on top and let drain at room temperature for 4 hrs and discard liquid. Lay out zucchini on a sheet tray and roast at 400? until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
2. In a small sauce pan heat the olive heat over low heat, and then add garlic. Cook slowly until garlic is golden brown. Remove the garlic from the oil and drain on paper towels.
3. Heat a sauté pan until almost smoking. Working in batches, add 1 Tb of the garlic oil, then 1 cup of the zucchini. Sauté briefly to caramelize, then add a tsp of thyme, a tsp of the cooked garlic and ¼ cup of tomato. Repeat until all of the zucchini has been sautéed. Combine in a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Season to taste with salt.

Remaining Ingredients:

1ea walnut baguette
¼ C. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. kosher salt
10 oz Squash Ragout (from recipe above)
4 oz Spanish chorizo, sliced thin
4 oz Bellwether Farms Pepato cheese, sliced thin

Final Preparation:

1. Slice walnut baguette into 30 thin slices. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 350 on a sheet tray for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool.
2. To serve, arrange walnut crostini on a platter and top with a slice of chorizo, a teaspoon of ragout, and finally a slice of Pepato cheese.

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