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  • Winter Squash Salad with Treviso, Pecorino and Anchovy

    Serves 4-6

    Ingredients:

    For Salad

    1 small Black Futsu squash, ripe (or substitute Musque de Provence or Butternut)

    2-3 small heads of Treviso, washed

    1 “grateable” chunk of Pecorino to yield about 2/3 cup grated

    High-quality sea salt such as Jacobsen or Maldon

    Fresh black pepper

    For the Citronette

    1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

    1/3-1/2 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

    1 shallot, very gently and finely diced

    1 clove garlic

    4 anchovy fillets, preferably Recca brand, packed in olive oil (for a vegetarian version of this dressing, sub ½ head roasted garlic for anchovy)

    Salt to taste

    Instructions:

    Prepare the citronette – Combine the minced shallot and lemon juice in a bowl, season very lightly with salt and set aside. Finely chop the anchovy and garlic until a paste forms, combine with lemon/shallot mixture. Gently whisk in olive oil until just combined. This can be prepared up to a week ahead.

    Prepare the squash – Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop both halves. Tightly wrap and refrigerate one half for another use or tomorrow’s salad.  Cut the remaining half into two or three wedges and peel away all skin from their exterior. Very carefully, slice the wedges very thinly (think the thickness of 4-5 sheets of notebook paper stacked). Season with salt very lightly in a bowl and set aside.

    Compose the salad – Cut the Treviso into thin strips and toss gently in a large bowl to separate. Gently “squeeze” the sliced squash to remove any excess moisture then add to the Treviso bowl, mix gently and season lightly with salt and pepper. Liberally dress with the anchovy citronette and transfer to a serving dish. Grate Pecorino over the top, avoiding shyness, and finish with more cracked pepper. Serve.

  • Roasted Winter Squash and Parsnips with Maple Syrup Glaze and Marcona Almonds

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled sunshine squash (about 3 pounds)
    • 2 cups 1/4- to 1/3-inch cubes peeled parsnips (about 12 ounces)
    • 5 tablespoons butter
    • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds (about 3 1/2 ounces)

    Preparation

    Butter 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Combine kabocha and butternut squash and parsnips in large bowl. Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in next 5 ingredients. Add to squash mixture and toss to coat. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.

    Preheat oven to 375°F. Cover squash mixture with foil. Bake covered 40 minutes. Uncover; bake until all vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes longer. Sprinkle with almonds and bake 10 minutes.

  • Winter Squash Rounds with Dates and Pistachios

    1 large butternut (3 pounds) or several Delicatas

    3 Tbs. olive oil

    salt and pepper

    2 Tbs. butter

    2 shallots or onions, finely diced, about 1/3 cups

    2 garlic cloves, minced

    1/3 cup slivered almonds

    1/3 cup peeled pistachios, preferably unsalted, slivered or chopped

    1 Tbs grated zest from one Meyer lemon or orange

    6 dates, pitted and chopped

    2 Tbs. finely chopped parsley

    1 Tbs chopped mint

    1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

    juice of 1 Meyer lemon

     

    Preheat oven to 400. Lightly butter a large baking dish. Peel the neck of the squash and slice into rounds about 1/3 inch thick. Heat the oil in a wide nonstick skellet. Add the squash in a single layer and cook over medium heat until golden, then turn and brown the second side, 8 to 10 minutes each side. When the pan becomes dry, add 1/3 cup water. Cover the pan and steam the squash until tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. Check while it's cooking and add more water as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

     

    Melt the butter in a med. skillet over med-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook without browning, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes.

     

    Add the nuts, zest, dates, herbs, and cinnamon and raise the heat. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and some pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes then add the lemon juice, cook for 1 minute more, and turn off the heat.

     

    Arrrange the squash rounds in the baking dish and scatter the dates and nuts over them. Add 1/4 cup water and bake until heated through and the toppin gis barely crisped, about 15 minutes.

     

    Adapted from Deborah Madison's "Local Flavors"

  • Squash and Black Bean Stew with Tomato and Green Beans
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 large onion, chopped
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon chili powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 2 cups diced tomatoes
    • 2 pounds winter squash, peeled and chopped
    • 4 ounces green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
    • 1 15- to 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained
    • 1 tablespoon minced seeded jalapeño chili
    • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

    Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juices; bring to boil. Stir in squash and green beans. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are almost tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in black beans and jalapeño. Cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
    Adapted from epicurious.com

  • Buttercup Thai Curry

    I winged it the other night with the ingredients I had on hand, and this curry came out deeee-lish!
     
    I buttercup winter squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
    any other veggies you have on hand (I had some last late-season eggplants and peppers from the greenhouse, as well as all this stuff):

    • brussels sprouts, halved
    • hakurei turnips, quartered
    • carrots, cut into 1" chunks
    • parsnips, cut into 1" chunks
    • celeriac, cut into 1/2" chunks
    • kale or chard, cut into ribbons
    • onions or leeks, diced

    1 can coconut milk
    dash of fish sauce
    Thai curry paste, to taste
    salt, to taste
     
    Sautee all your veggies in a large saucepan coated in olive oil, starting with your onions/leeks, celeriac and squash. Cook for 5-10 minutes on medium heat. Add carrots and parsnips and other hearty veg. After everything has begun to soften slightly, push the veggies to the corner of the pan and pour the coconut milk into the skillet. Stir in the Thai Curry paste to taste and fish sauce. Get a good even coconut milk slurry going, then mix all the veggies up with it. Simmer together until the veggies are tender. At the last minute, add the chard or kale and cook just long enought to wilt it down. Add salt to taste.
     
    Serve over rice or quinoa. Tastes great with a cashew garnish.

  • Pumpkin Sandwich Cake

    I baked my Sunshine Winter Squash as Zoe suggested to make Raviolis with brown butter  and hazelnut sauce. Since I had extra squash left, I substitued the squash for pumpkin in this recipe. If you like pumpkin and think anything is better with a little chocolate, you will like this recipe.
     

     

     
     

     

    • 3/4  cup all-purpose flour
    • 1-1/2  tsp. pumpkin pie spice
    • 1  tsp. baking powder
    • 1/4  tsp. salt
    • 3  eggs
    • 1  cup granulated sugar
    • 3/4  cup canned pumpkin
    • 1/2  cup whipping cream
    • 1/2  of an 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
    • 1/2  cup powdered sugar
    • 1  Recipe Chocolate Cream Icing, below
    •   Pumpkin pie spice

    Directions
    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease bottoms and sides of two 8x1-1/2-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with waxed paper; lightly flour pans. In bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
    2. In a second bowl beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until thick, about 5 minutes. Beat in pumpkin. Add flour mixture; beat just until combined. Spread cake batter in prepared pans. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near centers come out clean. Cool in pans on wire rack 10 minutes; remove and cool thoroughly.
    3. For filling, in a chilled mixing bowl beat whipping cream to soft peaks; set aside. In a second mixing bowl beat cream cheese until smooth; beat in powdered sugar. Fold in whipped cream. To assemble, place one cake layer on serving platter. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over bottom cake layer. Top with second cake layer. Refrigerate while preparing Chocolate Cream Icing.
    4. If Chocolate Cream icing is too thin, cover and chill 30 minutes until of spreading consistency. Too thick, add a teaspoon of milk or cream. Spread over top and sides of cake. Sprinkle lightly with pumpkin pie spice. Chill cake at least 1 hour before serving.
    5. Store cake, loosely covered, in refrigerator. Makes 8 servings.
    6. Chocolate Cream Icing: In small saucepan bring 1/2 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour over 1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate pieces in medium bowl (do not stir). Let stand 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cool 15 minutes. Makes 1-1/4 cups.
     
    Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/pumpkin-sandwich-cake/

     

  • Winter Squash Curry

    You can toss any veggies you like into this basic curry. It would be great with Brussels sprouts, broccoli, romanesco, potatoes, other winter squash or any root vegetable.
     
    Serves 4.
     
    2 Tbs. oil
    1 onion or 1 large leek, chopped
    1 Tbs. curry powder
    1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
    1.5 pounds butternut squash, peeled and roughly chopped
    1 c. coconut milk, stock or water
    salt and freshly ground pepper
    chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
     
    Put the oil in a pot or deep skillet over med-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the curry and ginger and cook until the onion just starts to brown, about 2 minutes more.
     
    Add the squash and coconut milk and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Check periodically to make sure there is adequate liquid. If the squash is done and there is ample liquid, turn up the heat, take the lid off and cook down until the consistency is thicker than stew.
     
    Taste and adjust seasonings, garnish and serve warm.