Butternut Squash

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Apple Soup

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I have had a serious addiction to butternut squash lately. Literally, twice a week I roast about two butternut squash and, so far, I have yet to tire of it. Usually, I have every intention of creating soup using the roasted deliciousness; however, once I roast them, they rarely last longer than two hours. After buying butternut squash soup four days in a row (which I may or may not have garnished with roasted squash), I vowed to take the 15 extra minutes to make my own after I roasted my next batch. I make mine without butter, cream or other dairy, making this a perfect soup to deliver loads of nutrients for almost all dietary restrictions. The soup was fabulous and I saved myself about $13 in not buying it for three different meals.

You can garnish the soup with your pleasure of the moment  (fresh herbs, creme fraiche, crispy bacon, etc). Personally, I had planned on crisping up some thick cut bacon to crumble atop the soup – but was so excited to eat it I could not wait.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Red Apple Soup

Serves Two to Three

Ten Garlic Cloves (or more to taste), roughly minced
One large white onion (or six or seven medium shallots), roughly diced
One to two pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
Two or three tablespoons Italian Seasoning or Herbs de Provence
One tablespoon black pepper
One teaspoon White Pepper (optional)
A couple good pinches of salt
Couple glugs good olive oil (regular, basil, garlic, or truffle)
Three red apples (I used Pink Lady), cut from the core in large sections and squeezed with lemon
Two tablespoons Thai Curry Blend or similar
Two to Three Cups of good-quality Vegetable (or Chicken) broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic, butternut squash, and onions in a baking dish. Add oil and spices to taste, sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake until golden brown and squash is tender, 30 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning preferences. Remove pan and add apples; continue baking for about 15 minutes. Remove and transfer to a pot with about 2 cups of vegetable or Chicken broth. Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to pan and taste (adding additional seasoning as necessary. Add two tablespoons of Thai Curry Blend or similar and let simmer for about five minutes.

Garnish with desired toppings ( slivered apples, crunchy bacon, shaved cheese, fresh herbs, etc). and serve with crusty bread. Can be eaten cold or hot, as soup or poured over chicken, fish or pasta for a nice sauce.

Wintery Steak Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

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My friend Susanna, who has perpetual leftovers, has been regaling me with stories of the wonderful dinners she has been enjoying with all the leftover steak from this weekend. It really gave me a hankering for a good steak salad. A lot of steak salads will be more southwestern (read charred bacon and corn, avocado, red onion) and, to be honest, at first I wanted to go that route – I even bought an avocado. Then I started feeling the need for a more comforting salad and picked up some butternut squash, just in case. Two days after the intended date, I created this manly out of stuff I already had minus the steak which I had purchased Monday; if you do not have any steak (fresh, leftover, or frozen) feel free to use chicken or crispy pancetta. You can throw whatever you have in here (I would have used spinach and arugula but ran out). This salad is hearty, healthy, tasty, comforting, and just darn good for winter. I added about a fourth-cup of garlicky bulgar, quinoa, and wild rice for some extra substance and because it was in the pantry – feel free to leave out (it is perfectly wonderful either way).

Note: This is a great weeknight dinner for the busy mom. It is high in nutrition, has great flavor, is very easy to make, and is healthy.  All in under thirty minutes.

Wintery Steak Salad

Serves Three

Half pound skirt steak (marinated as desired – I use Montreal, S & P, and Worcestershire)
One or more recipes Roasted Butternut Squash
One-half Gala Apple, sliced thinly
Small amount of Goat Cheese or other good soft cheese
Five cups Arugula, squeezed with a bit of lemon
One-Third cup basil pesto, mixed with one to two tablespoons red-wine or raspberry vinegar (to taste) and a dash of lemon
Fresh Cracked Pepper
Near East Whole Grain Blend Garlic (optional)

Prepare butternut squash and Whole Grain blend (if using) according to instructions. Marinate steak and allow to come to room temperature before cooking. Prepare the dressing whilst everything is cooking. Over a medium-high heat a bit of olive oil. Once hot, cook the steak for about four minutes on each side. Adjust cooking time to desired doneness and thickness of the meat; you will want to sear the meat to brown and caramelize the outside and keep the inside juicy – I like my steak mooing so I cook it accordingly (and give D the end pieces since he likes it more done). When the meat is cooked, remove to a cutting board and allow to rest for five minutes. In this time, divide arugula, butternut squash (inclusive of garlic and shallots), apples, cheese, and rice among three plates (or two plates and a Tupperware). Cut steak against the grain into thin slices or cubes and add to the salad. Dress as desired and crack black pepper to taste. Mix well and enjoy.

Butternut Squash Pizza

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Last Thursday, I just could not seem to get butternut squash out of my head. Being summer, (ergo my love is out of season) I blame it on my strong desire for fall and cooler temperatures that I spent about 90 percent of my day fantasizing about one of my fall/winter favorites. Ironically enough I was supposed to be making chicken and dumplings for dinner on Thursday evening – another cold weather favorite – but D was amazing enough to acquiesce to my squash craving (most likely out of a desire to avoid hearing me talk about orange truly for three hours if I did not get it).

On the first night, I did not care for this pizza much. It tasted good, but was a bit too sweet for me. I began to wish that I used the Delicious Orange Truly  a.k.a roasted butternut squash whole as it was with a pesto topping instead of puree-ing the squash and using it as the sauce. However, this pizza seemed to get better and better as a leftover and by the next afternoon I was enjoying it thoroughly. It is entirely possible that it was delicious the whole time and I was in a weird mood (a culinary trend that dominated last week), but either way this pizza is a tasty way to deliver loads of nutrition to picky adults or kiddos! Feel free to add whatever you like, or omit whatever you don’t like. As usual, this is a great way to use up leftovers before they spoil.

Butternut Squash Pizza

For the Squash Puree

One recipe Roasted Butternut Squash
One head garlic, for roasting (omitting this might detract from sweetness)
Small amount of chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut top 1/4 inch off heads of garlic to expose cloves. Place garlic, butternut squash, and onions in a baking dish. Add oil and spices to taste, sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Turn garlic cut side up. Bake until garlic skins are golden brown and squash is tender, 40-50 minutes.  Squeeze garlic cloves from skins, combine with squash, onions, and a small amount of chicken stock in a food processor or blender and puree (can also use an immersion blender). Taste and adjust for seasoning preferences.

For the Pizza

Favorite Pizza Dough, stretched and rolled to desired thickness
Spinach
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Handful of sliced mushrooms
One-Half a zucchini, sliced into quarters
Grilled chicken breast with seasoning of choice, sliced
One-Half Mild Italian Chicken-Provolone Sausage, pan seared and sliced
Summer Heirloom Tomato, thickly sliced (optional, these are also wonderful as a side salad)
Fresh mozzarella, either grated, crumbled or cut into small dice (optional)
Half cup each of shredded Fontina and Smoked Provolone (more if necessary to cover or desired)
Salt and Freshly cracked black pepper
Sun-dried tomatoes, minced (optional or can sub for heirloom tomatoes)
Simple Arugula salad
Caramelized onions (optional)
Two cloves garlic, minced or cut into thin chips

Place rolled pizza dough on a pizza baker (preferably one with holes). Spoon the squash mixture onto the dough and spread in a circular fashion; top with the fresh garlic. Sprinkle a bit of salt, crushed red pepper flakes, and freshly cracked pepper.  Top with a layer of spinach (to keep the spinach from drying out), then a layer of the cheese mixture. After the cheese, arrange zucchini, mushrooms, chicken sausage and chicken around the pie. If using sun-dried tomatoes or regular tomatoes, add at this time. If you have extra roasted garlic, feel free to squeeze it over the pie. Bake in the oven (preheated to 400) for about 12-15 minutes until the dough rises and turns golden brown – adjust cooking time for thicker or thinner crusts accordingly. Once you remove the pizza from the oven, cut into slices with a pizza cutter and top with Arugula salad. If using caramelized onions add now as well and serve with crushed red pepper and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

Roasted Butternut Squash

/ andreah94 / 4 Comments

Apart from zucchini, I do not really harbor much love for the squash family. Given this, my undeniable love affair with butternut squash is something of an anomaly. It is not that I do not eat yellow squash, I just do not do it whole-heartedly. I downright dislike spaghetti squash and eggplant purely on a textural basis. But butternut squash is like a giant, soft, comforting blanket for me for some inexplicable reason. I love roasting it and happily scarfing it down in bite size chunks or pure pleasure. I also love roasting it and turning it into the star of dishes in unexpected ways. It is a great way to “sneak” nutrients into common things such as pizza, pasta, lasagna, risotto, etc. It can be pureed for small children (though it is generally soft enough to eat on its own),  used fortify soups and salads during the fall., and be sweet or savory. It is just a wonderful little powerhouse of flavor and nutrients that I turn to time and again. The only discouraging thing about butternut squash is the time and effort it takes to peel it. I have not mastered this technique yet and, more often than not, I will buy previously diced squash from Whole Foods. Whole Foods also has bags of frozen butternut squash which are great for making a quick, nutritious puree without the torture of cutting the squash! The following method is my favorite way to roast butternut squash.

Roasted Butternut Squash

One pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch dice
One large white onion (or six or seven medium shallots), large dice
One head garlic, minced
Two tablespoons Italian Seasoning or Herbs de Provence
One tablespoon black pepper
One teaspoon White Pepper (optional)
A couple good pinches of salt
Couple glugs good olive oil (regular, basil, garlic, or truffle)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place garlic, butternut squash, and onions in a baking dish. Add oil and spices to taste, sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Bake until golden brown and squash is tender, 40-50 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning preferences.

Butternut Squash Penne with Shrimp and Greens

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So Wendy Davis screwed up my summer (not to mention screwed Texas) with a filibuster so when the leg adjourned Sine Die and announced they would be back the next day, I was less than thrilled. D wanted to know what I wanted to do, which really was curl in a ball and cry whilst simultaneously working out and getting a massage. You see, when you are sitting in an uncomfortable chair for 18 hours a day for about two weeks (straight) your body aches like you have the flu. Not to mention my derriere is now competing for Kim Kardashian status (except not as toned) and I need vegetables like regular people need water. So instead of crawling in bed and catching up on desperately needed sleep (only after I cried myself to exhaustion of course), I poured an ice cold beer and decided I very badly wanted to see my Sarah, hang out with D, go to the grocery store for a proper shopping trip, and cook a homemade meal – veggies inclusive. Being that I was not in any sort of mental state to be decisive about what I wanted to make, I made a small list of seemingly healthy dishes (since the special session will keep me out of the gym, and full of crap food from a box, meaning the pounds will keep adding up) that would provide flavor and nutrition. Once at the store I decided that I would make one of two things and got ingredients for both in the hopes that if I double prep, maybe tomorrow I can throw together whichever I do not make tonight. On the menu: Penne with a Butternut Squash sauce and Shrimpies and Greens, Sauteed Kale with Mushrooms, and Steamed Beets and Carrots. Dinner was awesome. Veggies were awesome. The mess I made was awesome. Standing up was awesome. Hanging out with Sarah, D and Reagan (he made a surprise appearance) was awesome! Then I passed out – which was also awesome.

Butternut Squash Penne with Shrimp and Greens

One three-pound butternut squash
Half pound to three quarters of Penne Pasta
A few good handfuls spinach
A few good handfuls of Arugula
About 3/4 cup of shredded smoked provolone and shredded Pecorino Romano
4 cups chicken broth
1/8 cup half and half, plus 1/8 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup basil, chopped
six garlic cloves, minced
4 large shallots, mined or sliced
red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 cup white wine
couple of pinches salt
3 tablespoons herbs de provence
Cayenne to taste
Two tablespoons ricotta cheese

For butternut Squash

Preheat oven to 400. Cut squash (peeled) into half-inch dice and place on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil (flavoured if you like), and toss with salt, pepper, cayenne and herbs de provence. Add 3 tablespoons shallots and 2 tablespoons garlic to pan and mix well. Bake on 400 for about 25 minutes until squash is soft.

For the Sauce

Once the butternut squash is done, spoon the contents of the baking sheet into a food processor. Add half and half, almond milk, and ricotta cheese and blend well (if you would like a thinner sauce add a little bit of broth reserved from cooking the pasta as well).

For the dish

Cook pasta in boiling broth until al dente.

In a pan, heat a bit of olive oil and add remaining shallots, garlic, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook until just glassy and add white wine. Add shrimp, searing on each side then transfer the squash sauce to the pan and stir well. Add arugula and spinach to sauce and allow to wilt, add any desired seasoning (i.e. black pepper or salt). Add pasta to the sauce (add pasta broth according to sauce consistency desires) and stir well. Add cheese to pan, stir well to incorporate. Once cheese has melted, top with basil and serve.

* This can also be made with chicken, just like the portion that I made for D because of his seafood aversion. Pancetta could also be crisped and added to this dish. Additionally, if you have dairy aversion – or are vegan – feel free to omit the half and half and use almond or rice milk instead.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

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Butternut Squash Ravioli is not a new concept, but it is a good one. There are lots of versions that you can make. You can make a cream sauce to toss the ravioli with if you prefer. I prefer a white wine sauce fortified by a dab of cream and butter. These can be made ahead or frozen.
Filling

Butternut Squash, at least a pound cubed (I like to buy butternut squash already cut up and cubed – it really makes life so much easier, you can also buy frozen if you choose).
3 large Shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Herbs de Provence or other herb combination
Either fresh homemade pasta dough (in ravioli shapes) or store-bought ravioli pasta wrappers – you can also use Gyoza wrappers (in frozen Asian section at Central Market).
One egg and pastry brush for binding
Parmesan, Pecorino, Fontina, or Goat Cheese
Cream
Ground white pepper

Toss butternut squash with about 2 or the shallots sliced and 2 garlic cloves minced, herbs de provence, salt, pepper, and basil/garlic/olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender. Bake until fork tender. Once done, remove from baking sheet and toss in a bowl with cheese, dab of cream, and [optional] ground sage. Puree (using a bit of chicken broth if necessary for texture).
WITH DOUGH: Line up on a floured surface. Place a spoonful of filling inside every other round. Brush the edges of the ravioli with egg and secure top piece of dough pressing together gently with a fork. Boil in salted water for a few minutes, strain and reserve.
Sauce – choose from either Brown Butter – Sage Sauce or Shallot-White Wine

Shaved Parmesan
Ground Black Pepper

If using Brown Butter-Sage Sauce: melt 7-8 tablespoons of butter in a pan, adding to it 10-15 fresh sage leaves, sauté with sliced shallots until brown. Remove sage leave before serving and toss with ravioli, dried cranberries, shaved Parmesan Cheese, and ground black pepper. Grated nutmeg optional. If using Shallot-White Wine sauce, add in a dash of cream and make sure to use flour to thicken the sauce, top with some freshly grated cheese and black pepper and parsley if you desire. This can also be made with a cream-based sauce and is excellent but is a bit to heavy for me.

Butternut Squash and Melted Leek Risotto

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>This risotto came about because JMac needed a Halloween-themed pot luck dish, so I promptly got to work trying out recipes. I am so happy I did. Ironically enough I saw a version of this in  Bon Appetit in November of last year, naturally I decided that I had to make my version to compete. I prefer mine=) This dish has several different cooking components but once you get them started you can pretty much do everything simultaneously. This is much better as a Sunday dinner dish because of the amount of time it takes to cook risotto (completely worth it though).

Makes about 4 large servings, plus leftovers

  • Butternut Squash, at least a pound cubed (I like to buy butternut squash already cut up and cubed – it really makes life so much easier, you can also buy frozen if you choose).
  • 4-6+ large Shallots, thinly sliced
  • 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
  • Herbs de Provence
  • 1-2 bunches of leeks – white part only, sliced into rings and throughout cleaned of dirt (it is easiest to clean them after slicing by placing the rings into a strainer and running water over them – dry and reserve)
  • 7 tablespoons butter
  • white cooking wine (about a half cup for leeks and between 1 -2 cups for risotto depending on taste
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • at least 3 cups of chicken broth – probably more – warm on low heat throughout
  • Parmesan or Pecorino Cheese – to taste – about a half cup shredded
  • Fresh torn basil

Preheat oven to 400

Toss butternut squash with about 2 or the shallots sliced and 2 garlic cloves minced, herbs de provence, salt, pepper, and basil/garlic/olive oil. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender.

In a small saucepan, combine 5.5 tablespoons butter and about a half cup of wine over a medium heat. Add leeks and simmer for about an hour (the longer the better). Season as appropriate.

In a large skillet prepare the risotto. Melt remaining butter and a little olive oil in pan add in remaining shallots and garlic. Sprinkle with a touch of salt and cook until glassy.  Add the rice and toast, stirring until it is translucent.  Add about a cup and a half of the wine and stir until absorbed.  Then add the simmering chicken broth in half cup portions, stirring until absorbed, then adding more.  Once it gets a little more done I usually taste it and add more wine or chicken broth accordingly.Once the risotto has reached the desired texture – add salt and pepper to taste and add cheese. Add butternut squash (I usually add it whole but you can puree it with a little bit of broth if you prefer) and leek mixture and mix well. Garnish with basil and pepper to taste.