Chef's Table: Rio Station

Chef’s Table: Rio Station

Ravioli with Pesto Sauce, Grilled Squash & Oven-Dried Tomatoes

Serves: 4

Kevin Peters, executive chef

Ingredients:
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
½ cup plus 3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sugar
35 garlic cloves
¼ white onion, diced
1 bunch Bright Lights Swiss chard
1 bunch fresh basil
1 tsp dried thyme
24 ravioli, cooked according to package
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
¼ cup white wine
1 tbsp butter
2 fresh squash, diced
6 Roma tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
to taste salt, pepper, asiago cheese

Method:
To make the pesto sauce, combine the toasted sesame oil, olive oil, 20 cloves of garlic and diced onion in an oven-safe pan. Bake at 375 degrees until garlic and onions are lightly browned. Blanch the Swiss chard and basil in salted water until tender while the mix is roasting in the oven.

Place the roasted mix and blanched greens in a blender and season with salt and pepper. Blend until combined, adding a small amount of water if needed to create a smooth mixture. Once combined, add in Parmigiano-Reggiano.

To make grilled vegetables, toss squash, salt, pepper and 1 tbsp olive oil together. Grill until slightly charred, but keep al dente.

To make the oven-dried tomatoes, toss the tomatoes with 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme and sugar. Bake on baking sheet at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.

In a sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Toss in 15 garlic cloves and cook until slightly brown. Add in roasted tomatoes and grilled squash, and sauté for about two minutes. Deglaze pan with 1/4 cup of white wine, then toss in cooked ravioli and butter, and cook until butter is melted.

Put pesto on the bottom of a large bowl, then place ravioli, tomato and squash mixture on top. Garnish with basil leaves and asiago cheese.