Winter Squash
Spaghetti Squash and Tarragon
Ingredients
- 1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- zest of half a lemon
- leaves from 2 thyme sprigs
- crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- leaves from 3 sprigs of tarragon, chopped
- 1/3 cup grated ricotta salata
Recipe Notes
Store spaghetti squash just like a winter squash because it is a winter squash. Store in a cool spot on your counter until cut open. Once cut, store in your fridge. This recipe is from Chef Jonathan Miller.
Directions
Heat oven to 350. Baste the spaghetti squash flesh with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put cut side down in a baking sheet and pour in the wine and about a third cup of water. Roast for about 50 minutes, until just barely tender, then remove from the oven and flip the squash over to cool. While the squash roasts toast the pine nuts until nicely golden.
Combine the vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, crushed pepper and a little salt in a bowl. Whisk in the olive oil until emulsified.
Scrape the squash out of its skin with a fork, separating it into strands and put in a large bowl. Toss with the dressing, then finish with the tarragon, ricotta salata, and the pine nuts. Serve while still warm or at room temperature. Yummy!
Squash Stew with Cauliflower and Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tsp cumin, ground
- 2 tbsp dry oregano, toasted
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 lb hard squash, peeled and diced
- 8 oz mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
- small handful of almonds, toasted
- 2 lb tomatoes, crushed or pureed
- 1 cup frozen peas
- small handful cilantro, chopped
Recipe Notes
From Chef Jonathan Miller
Directions
Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot. Add the onions and sauté until they have softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and the chili powder and cook another couple minutes. Add the squash, mushrooms, some salt, and 3 cups of water or vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer slowly until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir regularly so the mixture doesn’t char on the bottom of the pot. Run almonds and sesame seeds in a food processor for a few seconds to finely chop them, then add to the stew with the cauliflower and tomatoes. Cook until the cauliflower is done to your liking, at least another 7 minutes. Add peas and cilantro, taste for seasoning, adding more salt or chili powder if you like, and serve warm.
Winter Squash Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- 1 Bay leaf
- salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 pound tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
- sugar, if necessary
- Pepper
- 1 butternut winter squash, weighing 2 1/2 to 3 pounds
- 4 ounces Fontina or Gruyere cheese, sliced
- Freshly chopped parsley
Recipe Notes
Adapted from The Greens Cookbook by D. Madison and E. Brown
Directions
Heat the olive oil and add the onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf and a little salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft; then add the wine and let it reduce by half. Add the cayenne or paprika and the tomatoes. Cook slowly for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Taste, add a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are tart, and season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.
While the tomatoes are cooking, prepare the squash. Cut it open, scoop our the seeds and strings, and then, with the flat cut surface resting on the counter, shave off the skin. (The butternut can easily be peeled with a vegetable peeler before it is cut in half. Another method is to cut the squash into pieces and then remove the skin from each piece. This takes more time, but you may find it easier.
Slice the peeled squash into large pieces about 3 inches long and 1/4 inch thick. Heat enough oil to generously coat the bottom of a large skillet, and fry the squash on both sides, so that it is browned and just tender. Remove it to some toweling to drain; then season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To form the gratin, put a few spoonfuls of the tomato sauce on the bottom of individual gratin dishes, or use it all to cover the bottom of one large dish. Lay the squash on top in overlapping layers with slices of the cheese interspersed between th layers. Bake until the cheese is melted and the gratin is hot, about 15 minutes, and serve with the fresh parsley scattered over the surface.
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