butternut squash |

Butternut Squash Gratin

15 03 2010

If you’re trying to eat seasonally, you might think you can only look at this month’s food magazines for inspiration. But guess what? The root vegetables that were in season last November are still in season, so you can pull ideas from old issues, too.

One recipe I just made — a Butternut Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts — originally appeared in the November 2007 issue of Bon Appetit. It features roasted butternut squash (which seems to be the squash that even non-squash-lovers will eat), plus caramelized leeks and cheese, all layered in a shallow gratin dish and covered with cream.

We were having company the night I made it, and one of our guests was pregnant. Since she can’t eat soft cheeses right now, I pulled some out and made a separate dish with parmesan instead of goat cheese. Much to my surprise, I liked her version even more than original one. When heated, goat cheese has a way of becoming so rich and creamy that it can overpower everything else. Not so with parmesan, which allows the other flavors to come through.

If you make it, don’t worry about running out for hazelnuts. I usually have some in my pantry but discovered at the 11th hour that I’d run out. I used chopped toasted walnuts instead, and the combination worked beautifully. I also used a sprinkling of dried thyme instead of fresh sage, but that’s a matter of convenience and personal preference. (Remember to use a third or less of what’s called for if making this dried-for-fresh substitution.) My last tip is to check the gratin early, as mine was done far sooner than the 30 minutes specified in the directions.

The end result is a dish worthy of the Thanksgiving table it was originally written for, but easy enough to make on a weeknight. While it’s richer than I normally cook for my family, the cream adds a sumptuousness that makes guests feel special. Just pair it with something light, like grilled pork chops or steak, and a crisp green vegetable or salad.

Click here for the recipe for Butternut Squash Gratin with Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts.

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Tags: butternut squash, gratin, leeks, root vegetables, winter side dish
Categories : In Winter, Recipes, Uncategorized

Ravioli with Chicken, Walnuts and Butternut Squash

2 02 2010

Normally when I make dinner, I don’t think much about reception. I cook what is fresh and seasonal and healthy. I trust my kids will like it, or will like it enough to get through the meal without too much fuss.

But yesterday was a busy day. Errands. Flu shots. Ballet. I simply wasn’t in the mood for negotiations over how much more they needed to eat before getting dessert. So I took a moment to think about what everyone would like, and built a meal out of that.

I knew it had to have pasta, because that’s a crowd-pleaser for sure. Butter and parmesan, too. Chicken for protein, and a veggie or two from our farm share. That’s how I hit on Ravioli with Chicken, Walnuts and Butternut Squash. When we all finally assembled at the table, my youngest polished off her ravioli before the rest of us had even finished saying grace. My son had thirds. My oldest was already staking a claim to the leftovers for her lunch tomorrow. I’ll count that as victory. And I’ll leave the battles over celery root and mushrooms for another day.

Ravioli with Chicken, Walnuts and Butternut Squash
Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated The Best 30-Minute Recipe

2-4 chicken breasts, depending on how much chicken you want
Olive oil for spreading on chicken
Salt and pepper
1 butternut squash, peeled and small diced — you need about 4 cups
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 leek, washed well and sliced into thin rings
18 ounces whole-wheat cheese ravioli
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted for 5-10 minutes at 350
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Cream or Half & Half (optional)

Turn on the grill. Rub chicken with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside while the grill heats up. In a large non-stick saute pan, melt 1 T butter over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash and cook without stirring for 5 minutes. Stir and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until squash is browned and tender. Remove from pan. Add in leeks and saute about 5 minutes, then add squash back in and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, boil 4 quarts of salted water and cook ravioli according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, put chicken on the grill and cook until done. Cut into bite-sized pieces. When noodles are tender, reserve 1/2 cup cooking water and drain. Add ravioli to the butternut squash, then add chicken, a tablespoon or two of the reserved cooking water, 3 tablespoons butter, parmesan, walnuts and a tablespoon or two of cream. Heat on low until the noodles are coated, and add more parmesan, cream and/or cooking water to taste. Sprinkle with more parmesan at the table.

Variations: Rather than adding the chicken to the ravioli, you can serve it as a side dish to the grilled chicken, or you can leave it out altogether for a vegetarian meal. You can also leave out the cream and just use the cooking water, or you can leave out the cooking water and just use the cream!

Comments : 6 Comments »
Tags: butternut squash, pasta with nuts, ravioli with chicken
Categories : In Winter, Recipes, Uncategorized

Roasted Butternut Squash with Polenta

15 12 2009

Don’t you love it when you cook a meal you know you could have at a restaurant, and it’s better at home than out? So it was with dinner tonight.

My hopes were high, due in part to some fantastic food photography in the cookbook I was flipping through. (Sorry that my pictures can’t compete…) Who could resist such browned and slightly crisp butternut squash and cauliflower nestled atop creamy polenta? Not I. Paired with grilled pork chops and a spinach salad with a simple vinaigrette, the meal was colorful, with orange squash, yellow polenta, and green spinach. It was balanced, with starch, veggies, and protein. And it was true to the season. It was also delicious, in the way that food is when textures oppose but tastes complement.

I adapted the original recipe to my liking, relying on a more foolproof method for cooking the polenta and intensifying the creaminess with a little half & half. I also roasted the vegetables in olive oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil, since the latter is best as a finishing oil. To recapture that flavor, I drizzled EVOO over the vegetables prior to serving.

In a restaurant, I would’ve ordered a seasonal fruit dessert, perhaps an apple tart or a cranberry bread pudding. Tonight we had chocolate chip cookies instead. But I’m not complaining because they were baked as a daddy-son project this weekend, and my son was very proud to serve them to us when the plates were cleared.

Roasted Butternut Squash, Cauliflower and Onions with Creamy Polenta
Adapted from EatingWell in Season by Jessie Price and the editors of EatingWell

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
1 onion, sliced thin
2-4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Half & Half or cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss cauliflower, squash and onion with olive oil (use your judgment — vegetables vary in size and thus so does the amount of oil you need), sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place on a cookie sheet. Roast 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. When done, taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper as necessary.

Meanwhile, boil 3 cups of water. In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of water with 1 cup of cornmeal and 1 tsp salt, then add cornmeal to the boiling water. Turn heat to medium low and stir until thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in cheese and enough Half & Half or cream to smooth out the texture. Serve immediately with roasted vegetables on the side.

Comments : 2 Comments »
Tags: butternut squash, cauliflower, polenta, roasted butternut squash, roasted cauliflower, roasted winter vegetables
Categories : In Winter, Recipes

Great Butternut Galette

25 02 2009

When my kids were learning to eat solids, the pediatrician advised us to introduce orange vegetables like carrots and sweet potatoes first, then move on to green ones like peas. Maybe that’s why they still have a soft spot for all things orange.

So everyone was excited when a butternut squash appeared in our CSA bag. Especially me, because I’ve been wanting to try a butternut squash galette with leeks, goat cheese and sage that I’d seen in the February issue of Gourmet. I’ve made sweet galettes before (apple are particularly good), but never a savory one. Tonight was the night.

If you haven’t ever made a galette, don’t be intimidated. In some respects, it’s easier to bake than a pie. You simply roll out the dough, place the filling in the middle (leaving a 2- or 3-inch border), and fold the dough over the edges. No lattice crusts to weave, no fancy shapes to cut. All in all, a lovely recipe, and a great side for the locally-made bratwurst my husband cooked on the grill. (Another bonus: it used up some of the farm-share leeks that have been hanging around the crisper.)

Comments : 3 Comments »
Tags: butternut squash, galette, local, organic
Categories : In Winter, Recipes, Uncategorized