Tag Archives: Butternut squash

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Posted in Seafood, Soups, Veggies by

And a truly amazing idea for leftovers… Read on!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
(adapted from Naturally Nidhi)

roasting mixture:
1 medium butternut squash , cut in half
2 tbsp walnuts
3 medium Roma tomatoes , cut into halves
1 large yellow onion, halved
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp Herbes de Provence

soup base:
1 + 1/2 cups water
1 cup milk
salt , to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala

toppings:
roasted pumpkin seeds
sourdough croutons
grated cheese
heavy cream or thinned yogurt drops

Heat oven to 400°F.

On a large baking tray, arrange the butternut squash halves, walnuts, tomatoes, and onion halves. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, black pepper, and Herbes de Provence. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, depending on your oven, until soft. Scoop out the roasted squash. Add all the roasted ingredients to a blender, Vitamix works best.

Pour in 1½ cups water and blend until smooth. Add more water if needed. Transfer the blended puree into a pot. Add 1 cup milk first, then more as needed to adjust the consistency. Season with Garam masala, adjust salt if needed. Warm gently for a few minutes, but do not let it boil.

Pour the soup into bowls. Add toppings, decorate with drops of heavy cream or thinned yogurt. Serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is an amazing soup, the taste is complex, warm, absolutely wonderful on a chilly evening. If you protect the walnuts under the little hole of the butternut squash, they won’t burn during the roasting time. If some are left unprotected, check after 25 minutes or so, and remove when nicely roasted but not burned.

And now for leftovers… Full credit for the husband not only for the idea but the execution. Phil grilled lobster tails and used the meat to bring the soup back to center stage. It was absolutely outstanding! I highly recommend this combination, blew my culinary mind. To decorate, I used chili oil drops. Those little tiny drops pack a punch. A nice ingredient to have around. Big thank you to Naturally Nidhi for the recipe.

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JAPANESE VEGETARIAN CURRY

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

Another intriguing recipe published by my friend Josette, that I knew I had to make right away. It took me just the time to order a special curry powder online, once it arrived I went to work.


JAPANESE VEGETARIAN CURRY
(slightly modified from thebrookcook)

3 T vegetable oil, divided
8 oz mixed mushrooms, torn or sliced into 2″ pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 shallot, minced
2 large carrot, peeled, sliced on a diagonal 1/2-inch thick
2 celery stalks, sliced on a diagonal 1/2-inch thick
1 (1 1/2-inch) piece ginger root, peeled, finely chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut in 1-inch pieces

For the curry roux:
2 T unsalted butter
2 T olive oil
4 T all-purpose flour
3 T S&B curry powder
1 tsp garam masala

parsley leaves to taste
1 T honey

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large pan over medium to medium-high. Cook mushrooms, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small bowl; reserve pan.

Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in reserved pan over medium. Add shallot, carrot, and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened and onion is translucent, 6–8 minutes. Add ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and add butternut squash, sweet potato and mushrooms; simmer gently until liquid is reduced by a third and vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes.

While the sauce is reducing, make the curry roux. Melt butter and oil in a small pan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking often, until roux is light golden brown, 5–8 minutes. Stir in curry powder and garam masala and cook, stirring, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; set curry roux aside.

Once the sauce has reduced and the vegetables are tender, whisk in honey and reserved curry roux until incorporated and roux is lump-free. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 5–10 minutes.

Serve over rice or the side dish of your choice.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I love getting to experiment with new ingredients, and once I realized that this curry powder would be key for the traditional flavor, I had to order it. It is a mild curry, but indeed very flavorful. I was pleasantly surprised by the smell once I opened the tin. You can make the whole dish in advance and maybe thicken it with the roux right before serving. I omitted garlic, which you should add if you like, and I took the liberty of adding some parsley in the very final moments of simmering. We had it over tahdig rice (my quick version that I make often), and it was a great diner for a rainy Saturday dinner. In which Halloween was over, but election anxiety was at its highest. Go out and vote, make your voice heard!

Thank you, Josette!

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INCREDIBLY SIMPLE TIMES THREE

Posted in Incredibly simple, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

It’s been a few months since I blogged on super simple stuff, so here I am… I will start with a pretty unusual and kind of cute take on the humble broccoli. I am sure you are familiar with smashed potatoes, but in this version, broccoli is the one getting smashed and baked. Delicious, and oh so simple!

SMASHED BROCCOLI

Here’s what you do: cook broccoli florets – as many as will fit in a baking sheet – until just tender, don’t let it get all mushy. Drain, run through very cold water to stop the cooking. Add the pieces to a parchment-lined baking sheet, smash them flat with the bottom of a measuring cup, drizzle a good amount of olive oil, salt and pepper and a bit of cheese on top. You can load it with cheese if you want, or use restraint like we did. You can use mozzarella, Gruyere, Mexican cheese, whatever you feel like. Bake at 425F until the cheese is melted, bubbly, getting dark on the edges. ENJOY!

Inspiration for this recipe came from an Instagram post that my friend Elaine shared with me. You can find it here. She goes heavily on the cheese, and next time I might do the same, at least in some pieces. Mouth-watering stuff!

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SLICES

Usually I resort to bags of cut butternut squash because I despise having to prep it myself. However, recently I used this trick that is a game changer: microwave the butternut squash for 4 minutes. No need to poke holes, nothing. Just microwave, allow it to cool a bit until you can handle it, and it will peel like a dream! Then just slice it, coat the slices with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and roast or air-fry it.


If you find a butternut squash with super long neck, go for it. More slices for you!

BRITISH-STYLE JACKED POTATOES

Phil and I make these ALL THE TIME. I was sure it was on the blog already, then he asked me for the link to send to a friend and I had one of those big “palm-to-forehead” moments. No blog post to be found. Better late than never, here’s what you do: get very large Russet potatoes, wash, scrub them and make two deep cuts in a cross. Season lightly with salt. Place in a 400F oven for TWO HOURS. That is it. Ten minutes before the two hours are up, go with a knife and cut the cross slits a little deeper, squeeze the potatoes (wearing gloves) to open the flesh a bit. Drizzle a touch of olive oil and bake for the additional ten minutes or until they start to get all golden. DONE. You can eat the skin and all, it will be crunchy, the flesh very smooth and flavorful. You can read all the details about it here.

I hope you give these simple recipes a try. Sometimes simple is all you need…

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BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by

No need to run away, I promise you this is a very flavorful way to cook butternut squash. Simple, fast, and perfect to go with roast chicken or grilled salmon. The black beans provide a salty, sharp flavor that complements well the squash. I have made it with the beans as they come from the package, and a second time I minced them. I prefer them minced, the flavor will be more pronounced in the final dish, but if it is your first time trying this ingredient, use them whole and see how you like it.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH FERMENTED BLACK BEANS
(adapted from The Vegan Chinese Kitchen)

1 pound butternut squash, cut in big chunks 
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil 
1 tablespoon Rose Harissa (or any pepper mix you like)
1 tablespoon fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste
1 cup water
drizzle of sesame seed oil 
cilantro leaves

Heat a wok over high heat and add the oil, swirling to coat the sides. Add the harissa, the fermented beans, and leet them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the butternut squash pieces, stir them well to coat with the oil, sprinkle the sugar on top. Pour the water and season with a little salt. Cover, reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes until tender. 

If there is still water, you can drain it a bit or reduce by boiling, as long as the squash is not too tender. Add the cilantro and sesame oil right before serving. 

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I normally roast or air-fry butternut squash, but it was really easy and fast to braise it. Leftovers were even better, the flavor intensified a bit, and it never got mushy, even after a brief encounter with microwaves. This will go into our rotation for sure. If you don’t have and won’t be getting fermented black beans to play with, maybe a drizzle with sweet soy sauce and a tiny bit of fish sauce will be a nice move.

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GREEN TEA RICE WITH EDAMAME & BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Posted in Rice and Grains by

I drink tea every evening and often incorporate it in my cooking (and baking). Any green tea will work well for this recipe, but I used a very special kind, that goes by the beautiful name Thunder Dragon. I did not know, but that’s how people of Bhutan call their country… Bhutan: The Land of the Thunder Dragon. Isn’t that beautiful? The tea they produce is rarely exported, but not too long ago was available for sale by “In Pursuit of Tea”, and I got some. First time I made this dish, I brewed some tea and used it to cook the rice later, but if you don’t have a problem with the tea leaves staying around… this method is easier and delivers the same flavor.

GREEN TEA RICE WITH EDAMAME AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

for the rice:
1 cup Basmati rice, rinse and drained
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tsp, or to taste)
2 cups water
2 tsp green tea leaves (loose)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 to 3/4 cup shelled edamame (frozen works great)

for the butternut squash:
1/2 butternut squash, cut in 1-inch pieces
olive oil to coat
salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Start by roasting the butternut squash. Heat the oven to 420F. Coat the pieces of squash with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and paprika. Place as a single layer on a baking dish lined with aluminum foil, sprinkle a bit of water (a tablespoon or so), and cover tightly with foil. Roast for 25 minutes, remove the cover and roast for 20 more minutes uncovered while you prepare the rice.

If using frozen edamame, remove it from the freezer and place on a baking dish to defrost while you make the rice. Heat the grapeseed oil in a saucepan, add the ginger, saute for a few seconds, and add the rice. Season with salt, and saute for a minute, until all grains are well coated with oil. Add the water, tea, and bring to a gently boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Place the edamame on top of the rice and cover the pan again. Leave for 10 minutes undisturbed, and when the butternut squash is ready, fluff the rice, mix the edamame with it, and serve with the squash around it.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: The rice can stand on its own as a side dish, but the color, texture and taste of the roasted squash was surprisingly good with it. I often do a very similar approach using frozen corn kernels instead of edamame. The residual steam as the rice is ready and waiting is enough to warm up the corn and it retains a very nice texture. If you ever want to perk your rice up, it’s a pretty easy way to do it. I might do a double feature next time, edamame and corn together, green and yellow, the colors of Brazil!

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