warm squash + white bean salad

Looking for another way to prepare the acorn squash I had on hand I ran across a recipe for hokkaido squash which sounded delicious. I had nearly all the ingredients on hand and I love white beans but had to modify to match my pantry. White beans are one of my favorites, I especially love the warm white bean salad I started making earlier this year.

This salad has north african flavors which meld well with the warm flavors of squash and beans. The recipe I based this on is from C+Z, Clotilde based hers on a recipe from the cookbook Casa Moro.

Warm Squash and White Bean Salad

beans:

2/3 c. dried white beans, soaked overnight in cold water

1 bay leaf

2 t. rosemary

1 t. sea salt

squash:

~2 lbs. squash, peeled, cored, and chopped in 3/4" cubes

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

olive oil

1 t. balsamic vinegar

1 t. ras-el-hanout (Moroccan spice blend)

sea salt

dressing:

1 T. tahini paste

2 t. olive oil

1 t. orge flower water

1 t. balsamic vinegar

sea salt + pepper

3 T. sliced almonds

cilantro, chopped

1. Cook beans with 3 cups of water and the bay leaf over medium-high heat (covered) for 45 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook for another 15 minutes. Add more water if needed. Drain, discard bay leaf and keep warm

2. Roast the squash in a 425 deg. F oven with drizzle of olive oil, vinegar, ras-el-hanout, salt, and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and slightly browned. Stir halfway through.

3. Combine dressing ingredients. Add a little water if necessary. Combine beans, squash and dressing. Stir delicately. Add sliced almonds and cilantro.

butternut squash and apple soup

In my last CSA box I got a butternut squash and I knew what I wanted to make: butternut squash and roasted apple soup from the New York Times. I was really excited to make this soup and as always it was super easy, first roast the apples and squash, then put everything in the pot and heat through. Voila! The soup was a little too sweet for me, so next I'll include less cider and replace with broth or water.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

2 butternut squash, chunked

2-3 granny smith apples, quartered

2 T. olive oil

salt + pepper, to taste

2 c. apple cider (less than org. recipe)

3 c. broth (more than org. recipe)

1 t. ground cinnamon

dash nutmeg

1 lemon, juiced

garnish? dried cranberries or toasted almonds

1. Preheat oven to 400 deg. F. Place chopped apples and squash in large dish, dress with olive oil and salt + pepper. Stir. [You will be peeling the apples and squash after roasted, so quartered/eighths is best]. Cover tightly with foil.

2. Roast in oven for about 30 minutes, remove apples to another dish and allow to cool. Return covered squash to the oven for another 15-30 minutes, or until soft. Allow squash to cool. When cool scrape squash and apples into 4-6 qt. pot. Discard skins. Puree with hand blender. Add apple cider, if needed.

3. Add remaining cider and broth or water to desired consistency. Warm over medium-low heat. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice. Eat warmed.