Soon winter squash of all shapes and sizes — from butternut and kabocha to acorn and delicata — will fill farm stands and grocery stores. Their sweet flesh is delicious when simply prepared by steaming or roasting. Here are three recipes using those simple methods with a few different flavorings you may not have tried.
Squash Walnut Pate
Makes 2 cups
1/2 medium kabocha, peeled, seeded and diced (about 4 ½ cups)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
Sea salt
1 teaspoon minced thyme
1 tablespoon roughly chopped sage
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Black pepper to taste
Steam squash until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Warm a skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and onions, and saute until browning, about 6 to 8 minutes. Lower heat slightly and continue cooking another 8 to 10 minutes or until caramelized. Stir in garlic, a pinch of salt and the herbs; cook another few minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
Place steamed squash in a food processor; add caramelized onion mixture, walnuts and vinegar and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve on cracker, toast or as a dip for vegetables.
Steamed Squash with Black Sesame, Scallions and Toasted Nori
Serves 1
1 cup steamed squash
2 teaspoons thinly sliced scallions
1/2 teaspoon toasted black sesame seeds
2 teaspoons flax oil
Tamari to taste
1/8 sheet toasted nori, cut into thin strips
Place freshly steamed squash in a bowl, top with scallions, sesame seeds, flax oil and a sprinkle of tamari. Garnish with nori.
Roasted Acorn Squash Traviso Salad with Dijon Mustard Dressing
Serves 2
1 small-medium acorn squash, halved, seeded and cut in 1/3 inch slices
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
1 medium head traviso or radicchio, leaves removed
1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds
Chopped parsley
Dressing
1 teaspoon whole grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and add squash. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and toss to evenly coat. Spread out in a single layer and roast for 20 minutes, turn each piece over and roast for another 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and soft inside.
Remove from oven and set aside.
Add traviso leaves to a medium salad bowl or platter. Top with roasted squash, pumpkin seeds and chopped parsley. Whisk all the dressing ingredients, drizzle over salad and serve.
Amy Chaplin is a chef and recipe developer in New York City. Her cookbook At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen is available this fall. She blogs at Coconut & Quinoa.
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Winter Squash, Three Delicious Ways