Regina

Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table

Butternut Squash (Roasted)
==========================
Adapted from: Sugar in the Raw

Butternut Squash

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon brown sugar
salt
pepper
. Cut the butternut squash into 1 inch cubes.

Coat the squash with the olive oil. Mix together the sugar, rosemary,
salt and pepper and toss with the squash.

Place in a shallow roasting pan and roast in a 375°F oven until the
squash is tender.

Watch carefully so that the squash doesn't burn.

Butternut Squash Soup

1 Tblsp Olive oil or butter
2-3 lbs Butternut squash, peeled, and diced into 1 inch chunks
3 large carrots chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 Tblsp ginger(1"piece) or ginger juice from Wms Sonoma
2 quarts of vegetable stock or chicken stock or cold water (mixed chicken and veggie)
1 bunch parsley, chopped
Pinch of: nutmeg
Powdered ginger
Curry powder
Parmesan cheese

Heat the oil or butter over medium heat in a large saucepot, sauté the squash, carrots, onion and ginger for 3 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Add the stock and some orange zest (if desired) and bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook uncovered for 35-40 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper, ginger and curry to taste. Puree the soup with a handheld immersion blender, food processor or regular blender until smooth and creamy. Soup can be garnished with fresh sage leaves and Parmesan Crostini.

Serves 4-6 people

Peel, seed & slice the squash. Place on a rack in a pot with a tight cover, add water to cover bottom of pot, cover & steam until squash is nearly tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain the squash well.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Arrange the squash in 1 or 2 layers in a greased shallow bkaing dish. Mix sugar, spices & salt & sprinkle over the squash. Drizzle w/the melted butter.
Bake until the squash is tender & somewhat glazed, 15-20 minutes. For a deeper glaze, broil a few minutes.~~

PUMPKIN OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD

3 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. ginger (opt.)
1 c. oil
1 c. water
3 1/2 c. flour
2 c. pumpkin or 2 c. butternut squash, cooked & cooled
4 eggs or cholesterol free Egg Beaters

Combine dry ingredients. Add water, oil and pumpkin or squash. Pour 1/2 full into 3 greased and floured 9"x5" loaf pans.
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLES AU GRATIN

1 med. sized butternut squash
3 Granny Smith apples
1/4 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. butter
2 lg. onions
3/4 c. whole wheat crumbs
3/4 c. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Peel squash and apples and slice thin - toss apples with 2 tablespoons flour and layer alternately with squash in a deep baking dish - saute onions in 2 tablespoons butter until golden - pour over squash and apples - add broth and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Combine bread crumbs with cheese and pour over all. Bake 20 minutes longer and serve

Cut squash in 1/2; place cut side down on a greased baking sheet & bake in a preheated 400° oven for about 45 minutes or until it pierces easily with a fork. Turn squash over & let it cool enough to handle. Remove seeds & discard. Scoop out the pulp & place in a processor fitted with the steel blade. Add 4 TBL butter, cut in pieces, 2 TBL honey, 1 1/2 tsp thyme & salt & pepper. Process until smooth & completely mixed, about 30 seconds. Place mixture in a small buttered baking dish & heat in a 400° oven for 20 minutes until slightly bubbly.~~Mt. Vernon Cookbook

One thing to keep in mind is that all winter squashes are interchangeable in most recipes. So just because the recipe says "pumpkin," or "banana squash" or "acorn squash" or "Sweet Dumpling" doesn’t mean you can’t use your butternuts instead. Each squash brings it’s own flavor to the dish.

I have a really good recipe from James McNair---one of the most creative cooks and food stylists in the industry---for a Steamed Winter Squash Pudding with Orange Custard Sauce. It’s rather long and complex, so I won’t post it unless you’re actually interested in making it.

Meanwhile, here are a few you might find interesting:

Curried Apple-Squash Bisque

1 medium onion
1 tbls butter
1 tbls curry powder
1 butternut squash , about 1 ½ lbs
2 Granny Smith apples
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 tbls lemon juice
1 tsp salt

Chop onion. Heat butter in a 3- or 4-quart pot and sauté onion and curry powder until onion is translucent.

Meanwhile, peel & seed the squash; cut it into cubes. Peel and seed one apple; cut it into cubes. When onion is done cooking, add the squash, cubed apple, and stock to the pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes, until squash is tender. Add salt and correct seasoning.

Puree soup in blender. Peel remaining apple, grate it, and toss in a bowl with the lemon juice. Serve the bisque hot or cold, garnished with the grated apple.

Butternut Squash & Prune Gratin

1 ½ lb butternut squash, halved
1 ½ cups heavy cream
1 1/8 cup chicken stock
¾ cup sour cream
2 egg yolks
Salt
White pepper
12-16 prunes, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Put squash, cut side down, on a lightly greased baking pan. Cook until tender.

Scoop squash flesh out of shells and mash with a fork. Combine with the cream, stock, salt and pepper.

Arrange half the squash in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with the prunes in a single layer, then cover with remaining squash.

Whisk together the sour cream and egg yolks. Season with salt & pepper. Spread evenly over gratin. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes to stiffen. Gratin will be wet & loose when right out of the oven.

Serve by spoonfuls. Or cut into rounds with a cookie cutter.

Squash & Onion Bake

4 cups winter squash, peeled & cut in small wedges
1 medium onion, cut in wedges
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup apple juice
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
Pepper to taste

In a greased baking dish combine squash and onion. Combine all other ingredients and pour over veggies. Toss.

Bake at 450 F, uncovered, for 35 minutes, stirring once or twice.

Squash & Cheese Casserole

2 med. Butternut squash
1 heaping cup onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 heaping cup great and red sweet peppers, chopped
3 tbls butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
Black & red pepper to taste
1 cup yogurt
¼ cup sunflower seeds
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Divide squash lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and place face-down on an oiled tray. Bake at 375 until soft, about 35 minutes. Scoop out flesh and mash with a fork.

Lightly sauté the onion and garlic in butter. When onion is translucent add the peppers. Saute until peppers are just underdone

Beat eggs with yogurt. Add feta. Combine everything except seeds and mix well.

Spread mixture in a buttered casserole. Top with seeds. Bake at 375, covered, for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes more.

Butternut Squash Bisque

1T vegetable oil
1T butter
1/2c diced onion
3/4c diced carrot
4c peeled and cubed butternut squash
3c chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2c heavy cream
Dash nutmeg

Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium heat, add onion and cook until tender.

Add carrots and squash to pot, pour in broth, add salt, pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Transfer to food processor and puree until smooth. Return to pot and stir in cream. Heat through but do not boil. Serve warm with dash of nutmeg.

Linda

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SAGE AND HAZELNUT RISOTTO

"With its autumnal colors and flavors, this risotto is ideal served alongside a main course of grilled pork chops. Toasted blanched almonds may be used instead of the hazelnuts."

5 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock or canned broth
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 butternut squash or other orange-fleshed squash, peeled and cubed
5 tsp. chopped fresh sage or 1 tsp. dried sage
1 1/2 cups arborio or medium-grain rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 Tbs. hazelnuts, peeled, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Salt, to taste

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and keep the liquid hot.

In a medium, heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and sauté the onion, stirring frequently, until it is soft and light brown, about 10 minutes. Add the squash and 4 tsp. of the fresh sage or all the dried sage and sauté, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until the squash is almost tender, about 6 minutes.

Uncover the pan with the squash, add the rice and stir until a white spot appears in the center of the grains, about 1 minute. Add the wine and stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of the broth, adjust the heat to simmer, if needed, so that the liquid bubbles and is absorbed slowly. Stir until the liquid is absorbed. Continue cooking, adding the liquid 3/4 cup at a time and stirring almost constantly, until the rice starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Continue cooking, adding the liquid 1/2 cup at a time and stirring almost constantly, until the rice is just tender but slightly firm in the center and the mixture is creamy, about 10 minutes more.

Add the Parmesan cheese, 3 Tbs. of the nuts, the pepper and salt. Stir to mix well.

To serve, spoon the risotto into a serving bowl or onto plates. Garnish with the remaining 1 Tbs. fresh sage, if using, and the remaining 1 Tbs. nuts. Serves 6.

Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Pasta Collection, Risotto, by Kristine Kidd (Time-Life Books, 1992).

I like to serve it with roast pork tenderloin.

seagrass

I do wonder, though, why a rice dish is part of a pasta collection.

Don't know!!

seagrass

Certainly they'll store for several months. But they are not a great keeper because of the sugar content.

Butternut Squash Ravioli

Filling
1/2-3/4 large butternut squash, peeled,seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ lb prosciutto chopped fine
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
salt and pepper

Wonton Wrappers

¾ cup butter
1 ½ tbsp fresh sage

Steam squash until easily pierced with a fork.
Saute prosciutto in a bit of EVO until just warmed through.
Mash squash, and add spices, cheese, proscuitto and salt and pepper. Cool.
Drop a spoonfull of filling in the center of each wrapper, moisten edges with water, and cover with a separate wrapper.
Pinch edges together and refrigerate until needed.
Cook ravioli in boiling salted water for about 3 - 5 minutes, drain, and serve with preferred sauce.

Brown Butter Sage Sauce
3/4 cup of butter in a saucepan over med-high heat until butter turns brown.
Interestingly enough, this is what happened: frothy, clarity with butterfat globs, clear, frothy, then brown under the froth. Take off heat, and whisk in 1 1/2 tbs. of fresh sage. Keep warm on low heat on back burner.

Debbie's Butternut Squash Soup
(favorite from her soup party)
Posted by: debbie814 (My Page) on Thu, Feb 9, 06 at 19:42
Sherry, here is the recipe. I can't recall the source, but it is wonderful and so easy.
Thai Butternut Squash Soup
===========================
1 medium size butternut squash
14 oz. can Thai coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups light chicken or vegetable broth
Cut the whole butternut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and place (cut side down) on a flat baking dish lined with aluminum foil (for easy clean up).
Roast the squash in a 375 degree oven for about one hour. Remove when soft and let cool. Peel and cut into chunks.
Heat one 14 oz. can of coconut milk and roasted butternut squash in batches. Remove each batch to large bowl.
Add enough broth to thin the soup to your desired consistency.
Place in a deep saucepan and bring to hot when ready to serve.

Posted by: MQmoi (My Page) on Mon, Oct 21, 02 at 14:54
Butternut Bevy

6 c. peeled and cubed butternut squash (1 medium squash) or one baked squash
5 c. water or stock (I prefer vegetable stock for this)
2 T. sunflower oil
2 c. chopped onion
1 t. dried leaf thyme
4 T. butter
1/3 c. flour
¾ c. heavy cream
½ t. ground ginger
1 t. salt
1 T. tamari
Black pepper to taste
Optional garnish: ½ c. sliced or chopped roasted almonds

Combine squash and water/stock. Bring to boil, then lower heat, cover, and cook until tender (about 25 minutes). Heat oil in fry pan and sauté onions and thyme until tender and lightly browned. Add this mixture to squash. Puree the mixture until almost smooth. Leave a few chunks. Return to soup pot. In fry pan, melt butter over low heat, add flour and stir until well mixed and lightly browned. Add cream. Whisk until blended. Add cream mixture to soup. Return soup to a simmer. Add remaining seasonings. Simmer 15 more--uncovered.

CINDY MAC'S BUTTERNUT SQUASH BREAD

1 large butternut squash
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

CUT squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place cut side down in a shallow pan; add water to depth of 1/2 inch. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until tender; drain. Scoop out pulp; mash. Discard shell. Measure 1 3/4 cups pulp; reserve any remaining pulp for other uses.

BEAT butter, gradually adding sugar; beat well. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

COMBINE flour, baking soda, baking powder, and spices; add to butter mixture alternately with squash, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in pecans. Spoon batter into greased & floured 9x5x3 inch loafpan and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (Or bake in 4 small loaf pans for 50 minutes/mini loaf pans 40 minutes.)

COOL in pan(s) on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan(s), and let cool completely on wire rack.

You can add anything to the puree, including salt and pepper (I like to use white pepper), ground coriander, cinnamon, or ginger, maple syrup or honey. A mound of it looks so pretty on the plate and is so good with roast pork.

I also substitute it for the carrots in this recipe of Lee Bailey's:

CARROT CUSTARD – serves 6

14 oz. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbs. butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1/ 2 cup milk
3 Tbs. evaporated milk
1/ 4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/ 2 tsp. salt
dash of black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and put rack in middle oven position. Butter a 9 inch round cake pan and set aside. Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Boil carrots until very tender, about 30 minutes, and drain. In blender or food processor, process carrots with the butter for 10 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process for 30 seconds more, until well pureed. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

Pour mixture into cake pan and put the pan in a large ovenproof pan. Pour enough boiling water around it to come halfway up the side of the cake pan. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Mixture will be firm and set. If using immediately, allow enough time to let it rest for 10 minutes after it has been taken out of the water. When ready to serve, loosen edges gently with a knife and invert it onto the serving platter.

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
11/2-2 cups (1 small) butternut squash, cut into 1" cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
8-10 Fresh sage leaves
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 pkg frozen Cheese Ravioli
2 Tbs butter
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss squash, onion and 2 chopped sage
leaves in oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast
20 minutes, turning once or twice, until tender. Cook ravioli according
to package instructions. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium
heat. Fry sage leaves in one layer for 1 minute. Flip and fry until
crisp, about 1 minute more. Remove from skillet to drain. Reduce
heat to low, add broth and bring to simmer. Add drained pasta and
butternut squash/onion mixture. Adjust seasoning, garnish with
fried sage and sprinkle with cheese. Serves 4.