A Dose of Butternut Squash & Rue Magazine Issue 2!

With visions of turkey, stuffing, green beans and pumpkin pie running through your head just days before the Thanksgiving feast, I thought I'd change things up a bit and infuse your plate with a little butternut squash - one of the most versatile, most nutritious (antioxidant-packed and fiber-rich) and most flavorful standouts of the season.  When the turkey coma is all said and done, here are two bright and warm b-nut squash recipes to bring you back to balance.  Check them out here on the pages ( 86-87) of Rue Magazine's issue #2 that just went live yesterday!  

Wishing you a deliciously healthful and thankful holiday!

Pan Seared Scallops with Brown Butter Sage Sauce, Butternut Squash Puree & Maple-Cider Reduction

Serves 4

butternut squash

1 butternut squash, halved

extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

salt to taste

1 head of garlic 

maple-cider reduction

¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup apple cider

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 

scallops

1 pound medium to large diver scallops

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

brown butter sage sauce

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves

butternut squash

Preheat oven to 375.  Drizzle olive oil over squash, sprinkle with salt and place cut-side down on a baking sheet.  Roast for about 50 minutes, or until flesh is soft.  Meanwhile, drizzle head of garlic with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil and bake about 50 to 60 minutes. 

Remove butternut squash from oven and allow to slightly cool.  Scoop out seeds and discard.  Scoop out remaining flesh.  Cut garlic head in half and squeeze 3 to 4 cloves, adding the puree to the butternut squash.  Blend the garlic and butternut squash well until a smooth puree forms.  

maple-cider reduction

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes to reduce by nearly half.  Drain through a sieve to remove peppercorns.   Return to saucepan and keep warm on low heat. 

scallops

Turn oven up to 400.  Pat scallops dry and season with salt and pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Sear scallops until lightly browned and opaque in the center, about 2 to 2 1/2 minutes on each side.

brown butter sage sauce

Add butter and sage leaves to pan over medium-high heat.  Butter will begin to lightly brown after 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon a dollop of butternut squash puree in the center of a plate, creating a bed for scallops.  Arrange 3 to 4 scallops per plate atop butternut squash.  Drizzle brown butter sage sauce over top scallops.   Drizzle maple-cider reduction around butternut squash puree.

Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Lentils, Goat Cheese, Crispy Shallots & Balsamic Reduction

(pictured above)
Makes 4-6 servings

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and chopped

2 to 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup dried French lentils

4 oz goat cheese (1 small log)

1 shallot, peeled and cut into thin rounds or half-moon shapes

additional extra-virgin olive oil for "frying" the shallots and to coat the salad

6 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

3 cups arugula

Preheat oven to 4oo degrees. Soak lentils for 10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, toss butternut squash with olive oil and season lightly with salt.

Spread on a cookie sheet or in a roasting pan and roast until soft, about 30-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook lentils in salted, boiling water until soft, about 30 minutes.

Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan on medium-low and reduce to about half, about 10-15 minutes.

Pour about 1 inch worth of olive oil into a small-medium heavy pan or skillet (enough oil to cover shallots). Heat oil over medium-high and fry shallots for 3 to 5 minutes until crispy, golden brown. Remove and drain excess oil on a paper towel.

Mix butternut squash with lentils and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spoon over a bed of arugula in a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle goat cheese over top, garnish with crispy shallot and finish with drizzled balsamic reduction.

Photography: Rima Campbell

A Comforting & Healthful Side for Thanksgiving

After a long day of work a few weeks ago, I returned home determined to unwind in the kitchen and create a simple, comforting dish with whatever ingredients I had lying around (truth be told, I was in pretty desperate need to get to the grocery store).  Thankfully, I had a few base staples and some remaining vegetables just waiting to be mixed and matched.  The result was a warm and hearty farro dish that would serve as a welcomed addition to any Thanksgiving spread (and it's perfect if you've got a vegetarian guest).  Fall flavors, thyme, antioxidant-rich butternut squash, mushrooms and a toothsome and high-fiber complex carb like farro made a perfect combination.  


Pantry Farro with Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, Thyme & Parmesan
Serves 6 to 8


1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 to 3 celery stalks, diced
1 cup chopped mushrooms (a mix of cremini, hen of woods etc)
1 1/2 cups farro 
water (or low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth)
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
Parmesan cheese for serving, about 1/2 cup grated


In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat, add butternut squash, onion and celery and saute for about 3 minutes.  Add in mushrooms and farro and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.  Cover farro mixture with water or broth (or half and half) by just under one inch.  Season with salt, pepper and thyme.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.  Simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring once, until all liquid has evaporated.  Fluff with a fork and let stand for 5 minutes.  Finish with grated Parmesan and a little additional cracked pepper.

Post-Thanksgiving Round of Recipes

Better late than never! I decided to test a new round of recipes this Thanksgiving, and I can happily say that they were mighty tasty and didn't last long on the holiday table. Here's a smattering of the dishes I contributed to the meal -- in addition to my mother's infamous stuffing and roast turkey *(which by the way, she did something different this year and roasted the turkey at a super high temp - 450 degrees. the birdie took half the time, about 2.5 hours and was perfectly golden crisp and moist).

Simple Pear and Pecorino Salad

We had so much food this year at the table, but my cousin still insisted I prepare her favorite holiday salad. So, of course, I obliged. Can never go wrong with a few extra greens. I decided to keep things simple though and pared down my standard Thanksgiving salad. Quick and easy, this is a great way to get some fall flavor into a starter salad.

Serves 8

1 1/2 bags mixed greens or baby spinach

2 bosc pears, stemmed and cut into thin slices

Pecorino romano shavings *use a vegetable peeler

for nice thick shavings -- about 3/4 cup worth or enough to sprinkle throughout the salad

Dressing:

1/2 tsp minced shallot

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp Champagne vinegar

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Whisk dressing ingredients all, pouring olive oil in a slow drizzle until well blended.

2. Arrange salad and drizzle dressing over as needed.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic-Glazed Pecans

Makes 6 to 8 servings

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed (cut the sprouts in half if they’re medium to large or leave whole if they’re small)

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

salt to taste

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

¼ cup chopped toasted pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.

2. Place the Brussels sprouts in a large bowl. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt.

3. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned. Shake the pan to keep the sprouts from sticking about halfway through.

4. In a small saucepan, simmer the balsamic vinegar with the honey for about 5 minutes to reduce a little. Pour the reduction over the pecans and stir to coat. Toss the glazed pecans with the sprouts.

Pear Tart with Spiced Caramel Sauce

Ask any of my family members, and they'd likely say that this was the best creation of the holiday. Pretty on the table, it's a light dessert that will go super fast (I almost didn't get a slice myself!). I crafted the recipe from two different recipes off of Epicurious.com (I know, it was a pear-heavy holiday for some reason). Acclaimed pastry chef (and James Beard award winner), Karen DeMasco's sable` tart crust might just be the perfect crust with the inclusion of almond flour. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Tart crust:

• 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

• In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, and salt.

  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and confectioners' sugar. Mix on medium-low speed until well combined, about 4 minutes. You can also use a food processor to mix the dough, pulsing on and off for about 2 minutes.

  Mix in the egg and then the yolk, allowing each to be incorporated before adding the next. In two additions, add the flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.

  Turn out the dough onto a clean lightly floured work surface. Divide it in half, shape into flattened disks, and wrap each one in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight. (The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before using.)

  Poached pear topping:

  3 ripe red D'Anjou pears, peeled and left whole

  3 cups water

  1 cup white wine

  Place pears in a large pot with water and wine and simmer at a medium-low heat. Poach for about 20 to 25 minutes until soft.

  Allow pears to cool, stem and slice thinly

  Spiced caramel sauce:

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 whole clove
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

  Put granulated sugar in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and crumble brown sugar over. Melt sugars, undisturbed, over moderate heat until granulated sugar is mostly melted. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel. Carefully pour in cream (**note that the mixture will bubble up and caramel will harden slightly**) and stir in clove, cardamom pods, fennel, peppercorns, and cinnamon sticks. Simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved and sauce is reduced to about 1‚ cups, about 10 minutes. Pour sauce through a sieve into a 2-cup measure and cool to just warm.

  Assembly:

  Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Roll out one disc of dough onto a 12" tart pan with removable bottom. Fork a few holes in the crust and spoon a thin layer of the caramel sauce onto the dough. Arrange the pear slices, fanning them in a circle as in the photo. Drizzle additional caramel over top of the pears. Bake the tart for about 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries or crushed almonds.