Sausages with Acorn Squash and Onions

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, December 2012

1 large acorn squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch slices

1 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch wedges

3 T. olive oil

sea salt and pepper

4 hot or sweet Italian sausages (3/4 lb. total)

1/2 c. grated aged Asiago cheese (2 oz.)

1 T. chopped fresh sage leaves

1/4 c. dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  On a rimmed baking sheet, toss squash and onion with oil and arrange in an even layer; season with salt and pepper.  Add sausages to sheet.  Roast until vegetables are just tender, 15-18 minutes.  Heat broiler.  Sprinkle Asiago and sage over vegetables and broil until cheese is browned and bubbling and sausages are cooked through, 3 minutes.  Sprinkle with cherries to serve.

Butternut Squash and Sage Pizza

I had this pizza at Julia and Alan's house for dinner this evening - yumm!!

Source:  Epicurean Mom

1 pizza dough (pre-made or store bought)

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

13 fresh sage leaves, chopped plus a few whole leaves for a garnish

1/2 small butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1" squares

1 t. fresh garlic, minced

3 1/2 T. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1/2 c. mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. Monterey Jack cheese

sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lay diced butternut squash onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil.  Toss to coat.  Bake for 10-15 min., or until just tender.  Let cool slightly.

Heat 1 1/2 T. olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until browning and caramelized, about 10-15 min.  Set aside.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, pat out dough to form a 10" circle.  Make sure the sides are slightly thicker to form a crust.  Set aside until ready to assemble.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat, add chopped sage leaves.  Stirring constantly, cook until fragrant and starting to crisp, about 3 min.  Immediately take off heat and add 1 t. minced garlic, stir until well combined.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  If using a pizza stone, preheat the stone in the oven for about 20-25 min.

Pour sage mixture into a small cup, add 1 T. olive oil and spread over the pizza dough with a basting brush.  Generously sprinkle dough with salt and pepper.  Add the caramelized onions, mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese.  Evenly spread the butternut squash on top of the cheese and sprinkle with a few whole sage leaves.

Bake for 7-10 min., or until a golden brown.  Let cool for 5 min. before serving.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Yum!

adapted from www.cookingafterfive.com

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 1/2 c. butternut squash puree*

2 medium or large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1" cubes

3-4 c. chicken stock

sea salt

freshly ground pepper

4 fresh sage leaves

a generous pinch of cayenne pepper

In 4-qt. stockpot, warm olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onions and stir to coat, cooking for 3-4 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the squash puree, potatoes, and enough chicken stock to cover the potatoes. (The more stock you use to cover the potatoes, the thinner your soup will be. Use just enough liquid to boil the potatoes; if needed, you can add more stock to thin the soup later.) Add the sage, cayenne, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Puree soup in blender until smooth, then return to pot. Test for seasonings.

Serve with sage breadcrumbs (see recipe below)

Sage Croutons

2 c. French baget, torn into 1/2-1" pieces

1 T. finely chopped fresh sage

ground sage

Extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt and pepper

Toss bread cubes in olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh sage, ground sage, salt and pepper. Bake at 275 degrees until browned, approximately 20 minutes.

*Note - to roast squash, cut it open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds.  Rub oil over the flesh, then sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Roast cut side down in a 400 degree oven until tender (approximately 40 min.).

Update - 3/24/12

My nephew was here for lunch today, so I pulled some of this delicious soup of of the freezer.  I'm pretty selective about who I cook for these days; I'm not willing to waste the hard work and precious ingredients on just anybody.  However, I'm more than happy to expose my nephew to the pleasures of good food since he's a fellow foodie; in fact, I've been trying to make that a priority.  When I told him what we were having, he threw a hunger fit:  "I'm sick of soup!  Eeuw - that doesn't look good.  I DON'T like butternut squash soup!! "  I reminded him that he's never even tasted butternut squash soup before, and that he rarely dislikes what I prepare for him.  Lo and behold, he not only loved it, but he was concerned that I had gotten a bigger portion than he did.

:)

Butternut Squash Risotto

The Slow Food folks would be proud of me for taking the time to make this dish!

While it seems crazy to spend so much time peeling and chopping, then stirring the risotto as I wait for the liquid to absorb, somehow I think it pays homage the lovely butternut squash which in essence is honoring the Lord for His amazing provision.

This recipe is pretty detailed, but it does help to ensure good results.

Source:  Cook's Illustrated magazine, October 2005

2 T. olive oil

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs.), peeled, seeded (fibers and seeds reserved), and cut into 1/2" cubes (about 3 1/2 c.)

3/4 t. salt

3/4 t. ground black pepper

4 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1 c. water

4 T. unsalted butter

2 small onions, chopped very fine (about 1 1/2 c.)

2 medium garlic cloves, minced (2 t.)

2 c. Arborio rice

1 1/2 c. dry white wine (I substituted 3/4 c. water + 3 T. lemon juice)

1 1/2 oz. finely grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 c.)

2 T. minced fresh sage leaves

1/4 t. grated nutmeg

Heat oil in 12" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.  Add squash in even layer and cook without stirring until golden brown, 4-5 minutes; stir in 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and browned, about 5 minutes longer.  Transfer squash to bowl and set aside.

Return skillet to medium heat; add reserved squash fibers and seeds and any leftover diced squash.  Cook, stirring frequently to break up fibers, until lightly browned, about 4 min.  Transfer to large saucepan and add chicken broth and water; cover saucepan and bring mixture to simmer over high heat, then reduce  heat to medium-low to maintain bare simmer.

Melt 3 T. butter in now-empty skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add onions, garlic, remaining 1/2 t. salt and remaining 1/2 t. pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 4-5 min.  Add rice to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 min.  Add wine and cook, stirring frequently, until fully absorbed, 4-5 min.

Meanwhile, strain hot broth through fine-mesh strainer into medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Return strained broth to saucepan and discard solids in strainer; cover saucepan and set over low heat to keep broth hot.

When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 c. hot broth and half of reserved squash to rice.  Simmer, stirring every 3-4 min., until liquid is absorbed and bottom of pan is almost dry, about 12 min.

Stir in about 1/2 c. hot broth and cook, stirring constantly, until absorbed, about 3 min; repeat with additional broth 2 or 3 more times, until rice is al dente.  Off heat, stir in remaining 1 T. butter, Parmesan, sage, and nutmeg; gently fold in remaining cooked squash.  If desired, add up to 1/4 c. additional hot broth to loosen texture of risotto.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4 main course or 6 first course servings

Variation:
Butternut Squash Risotto with Spinach and Toasted Pine Nuts

Toast 1/4 c. pine nuts in small, dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 5 min; set aside.

Follow recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto; in step 2, after transferring sauteed squash seeds and fibers to saucepan, add 1 t. olive oil to empty skillet and swirl to coat.  Add 4 oz. baby spinach and cook, covered, over medium heat, until leaves begin to wilt, about 2 min.  Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until fully wilted, about 30 seconds.  Transfer spinach to mesh strainer; set aside.  Proceed with recipe as directed.

Drain excess liquid from spinach and stir into risotto along with remaining squash in step 6.  Top individual servings of risotto with toasted pine nuts.