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Roasted Delicata Squash Recipe
Serves 2-4 as a side dish
Ingredients:
2-4 delicata squash, depending on size (~1.5 lbs)
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Clean the delicata squash by running under warm water and scrubbing away dirt with your hands. If there are any hard spots on the squash, you can scrape them off with a butter knife.
With a sharp knife, cut delicata in half lengthwise. This should be easy and not require any crazy hacking.
With a spoon scoop out the seeds and discard (you can save these and prepare them like pumpkin seeds if you wish). Cut each delicata half into 1/2 inch segments, creating moon-shaped pieces that have slight bumps around the curve.
Arrange the pieces in a single layer in a metal baking pan and coat in 2 tbsp olive oil. Too much oil can make the squash soggy. Salt gently. It’s okay if the pieces are a little crowded, but try to maximize the surface area of the squash touching the pan. The browning only occurs where the squash and pan meet.
Place in oven and roast 10 minutes. Using a spatula (I use tongs for most veggies, but delicata squash are easily squished and hold up better if you don’t pinch them) turn the squash in the pan so that the light sides are now touching the pan and the brown sides are facing upward.
Continue roasting, turning every 7-10 minutes until both sides of the squash pieces are golden brown and the texture is creamy to the teeth all the way through, about 25-30 minutes. Adjust salt.
Serve as a side dish with the rest of your dinner.
DELICATA SQUASH
(From Daryo Pino and her website: SummerTomato.com)
THIS IS AN EXCELLENT RECIPE!! VERY TASTY!!
Delicata are much smaller than most winter squash, making them substantially easier to get home from the market and more amenable to the needs of a small household. More important, delicata squash are a cinch to clean, cut and cook, making them any winter squash lover’s dream. Many people think their flavor is even richer and their texture more creamy than butternut!
Daryo prefers to roast her delicata squash in a metal pan, allowing the outer edges to brown and caramelize. While a Pyrex or ceramic pan will also work, you may get better browning when you use metal to cook in. Foil may likely give you the same effect.
The caramelization creates an almost sweet potato like flavor. Fans call the recipe her “squash fries,” even though they are baked in the oven.
Marinade for Chicken or Beef
(good for up to 4 lbs of meat) from Joy of Cooking
1 cup lite sodium soy sauce
½ cup oil
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
6 cloves garlic crushed or chopped
2 Tablespoons ground ginger or fresh ginger, shredded
2 Tablespoons dry white wine
Mix all ingredients together and stir well in a rectangular container with lid. Place chicken or steak in the marinade, coating well. Leave in fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably 4 hours.
Roasted Mashed Cauliflower
- raw cauliflower
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Milk or cream, or whatever you use when you make mashed potatoes – about 1/4 cup
- salt and pepper
- minced garlic (a clove or two)
- ½ bunch of chives, minced for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Break the cauliflower up into florets, or just chop. On a sheet tray, spread the florets with the oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, combine milk and garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Transfer cauliflower to a regular blender or food processor. Add milk mixture. Secure top on blender and puree mixture until smooth. If mixture is too thick, thin by adding more milk. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve in a large serving bowl topped with minced chives.
Galette
set oven to 375
- Fruit cut up (peaches and/or apricots) to 4-3/4 cups of fruit
- 1/3 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 TBSP corn starch
- 1/4 tsp salt
SUMMER SQUASH CASSEROLE
4 Medium-large summer or zucchini squash, thinly sliced
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
2 medium onions, finely chopped
8 oz. Mozzarella grated
4 eggs beaten
1 small can green chilies chopped, drained
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion in olive oil until soft, add tomatoes and chills. Simmer 6 min. Steam squash for about 2 minutes. Drain and season with spices. Grease a deep, large casserole dish. Spread 1/3 of tomato mixture, 1/3 squash, 1/3 cheese and 1/3 eggs. Continue layering. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees.
VEGETARIAN SPAGHETTI SAUCE
This recipe makes a large pot of sauce, which I freeze in meal size containers.
(Use your food processor for the veggies and it will save lots of time! If you cut your veggies up first in the same size large chunks, they will cut up the same size in the processor.)
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
¾ – 1 lb mushrooms, sliced or diced (depending on if you want to recognize there are mushrooms in your sauce or not.
1-2 lb summer squash, diced (you can substitute 1 lb. ground beef for this item or in addition. The squash is the same consistency as the ground beef)
3 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 28 oz. can tomatoes, diced in juice
1 cup water
½ cup red wine
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon dried oregano (or 3 Tablespoon fresh)
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 Tablespoon fresh)
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 Tablepsoon dried basil (or ¼ cup fresh basil)
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup dried parsley (or ¾ cup fresh)
In a large stockpot, cook onion, garlic and celery in olive oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add cans of tomatoes with their liquids. Add spices, water and wine. Add mushrooms and squash. Add your cooked meat if you choose. Let sauce simmer on low 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over pasta or spaghetti squash.
QUICK LEMON PESTO
This pesto is excellent on most any fish or with pasta:
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup firmly packed basil leaves
¼ cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until finely minced.
Artichokes
To Prepare: With a sharp knife, cut off the stems, leaving about 1 inch, and cut the top off the choke straight across. With kitchen shears, trim the thorny tips (if any) off the leaves. Pull off any loose leaves from around the bottoms.
To Cook: In a large pot over high heat, in 1 inch of boiling water, place the artichokes face down with their stems facing upward. Add a few lemon slices if you like and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until a leaf can be pulled off easily or you can stick your fork easily into the middle of the choke.
To Eat: With your fingers, pluck, off the leaves one by one, starting at the bottom. Dip the base of each leaf in melted butter or other dip, then pull the leaf through your teeth, scraping off the pulp. Discard the leaves in a pile on your plate. When you get to the “heart” of the choke, cut out and discard the fuzzy center. Cut the solid heart into chunks and dip them.
Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
Ingredients:
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes
- 2 Heirloom Tomatoes (If you ever have over-ripe heirloom tomatoes, this is a perfect opportunity to turn your super soft prize commodities into a crowd favorite)
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 cup Olives (Green, Kalamata, Castelverano, whichever you fancy)
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 5-6 leaves fresh Basil
- 2-3 tsp. chopped Oregano (fresh or dried)
- 2-3 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2-3 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- 2-3 tsp. Salt & Pepper (always Salt & Pepper to taste)
- 1-2 Baguettes (use Olive Bread or other creative variations)
Grilled Corn Salsa
Ingredients:
Preparation Time: 30-45 minutes
- 4 ears of corn
- 2 Red Bell Peppers
- 2 Pablano/Pasilla Peppers (Dark Green)
- 2 Jalapeños/4 Serrano Chilis
- 1 Red Onion
- 1 bunch Cilantro
- 4-5 cloves Garlic
- 2 Limes
- 2-3 tsp. Red Chili Powder
- 2-3 tsp. Cumin
- 2-3 tsp. Oregano (fresh or dried)
- 2-3 tsp. Salt & Pepper (always Salt & Pepper to taste)
FUMI SALAD
(From Gloria Garcia)
1 head napa cabbage chopped fine
8 green onions, chopped fine
8 teaspoons slivered almonds, toasted
8 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
(optional: chicken and crunchy noodles)
Dressing:
6 teaspoons rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sugar
1 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt
Mix cabbage and onions and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Then stir in almonds, seeds (chicken and or crushed noodles)
Pour dressing over all.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPICE CAKE
(from Sunset Magazine)
- 1 small butternut squash
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Powdered sugar or whipped cream (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place the squash halves, cut side up, on a baking pan, then cover with foil and bake until tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes. Uncover and let sit until cool enough to handle, then use a spoon to scoop out the cooked squash from the peel. Mash with a fork. Measure out 1 cup of the squash and set aside any remaining for future use in soups or stews or freeze for future cakes.
- Turn oven down to 325°. Butter an 8- by 8-in. baking pan and set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and pepper. Set aside.
- With a mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth and a bit fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Mix in vanilla.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the cup of mashed squash. Add remaining flour mixture and stir just enough to combine. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Serve plain or with a dusting of powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.
Spinach Salad
(from Collette in Atascadero)
Couple of slices of bacon – chop and fry
OR I use 3 to 4 TBSP of REAL bacon bits
Tear up spinach
Hard boiled eggs peeled – 1 per serving
Sliced mushrooms
3-4 green onions sliced (leeks?)
DRESSING
Mix 1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar ( if you don’t like it too vinegary- cut back a litttle)
1-2 TBSP of sugar
bacon bits
Salt and pepper to taste
HEAT and mix well then
toss all with all but eggs
serve on plates and garnish with sliced eggs
DINNER!!!!
BROCCOLI-LEEK SOUP
(from Williams-Sonoma)
Serves 4
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Leeks finely chopped
1-1/2 lbs broccoli trimmed into 1″ pieces
4 cups stock – vegetable or chicken
Salt & peper to taste
Warm oil – add chopped leeks saute medium until soft 2-5 minutes. Add broccoli and stock.
Simmer until vegetables are soft 15-25 minutes
Remove from heat
Puree in blender of immersible blender
Return soup to medium heat
Season
Ladle into bowls – garish with a Tbsp or sour cream or yogurt
croutons and chopped chives…or any combination of those
SPINACH SALAD
(from Ronda Olive)
1 bunch spinach
1 small avocado, thinly sliced
½ feta cheese
½ cup chopped walnuts
Dressing
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 T. dried basil, crumbled
2 tsp. sugar
2 large garlic colives, minced
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Combine dressing ingredients in a food processor and mix well. Toss spinach with avocado, onion, feta and walnuts. Pour some of dressing over (refrigerate extra) and toss.
ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUT
Serves 4
¼ cup pecans
1 lb. Brussels Sprout
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
½ Hass avocado cut into ½ inch dice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1. Toast the pecans in a pan on the stove on in the oven. Let cool and then coarsely chop.
2. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the Brussels Sprout and cook until bright green, about 3 minutes. Drain, cut in half and pat dry with paper towels. .
3. In a glass large baking dish, toss the sprouts with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and turn them cut side down. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees until nicely browned.
4. In a large bowl, toss the sprouts with the pecans, avocado and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the vinegar and serve.
Golden/Red Beet, Celery and Chèvre Salad
(from customer Donna in Pismo Beach, thank you!)
4 Each Golden or Red Beets
2 Sprigs Thyme
As needed Sea salt
To taste Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Large Lemon Juiced (or more)
1 Heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 Tablespoons Good quality extra-virgin olive oil (or less)
2 Teaspoons Tarragon Chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes Optional
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
4 Stalks Celery Sliced Thin
4 Ounces Chevre (goat cheese) Crumbled
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare beets by trimming the stems down to 1/4 inch. (It’s important to leave a portion of the stem attached during the roasting process to retain moisture and avoid excess bleeding of color). Wash the beets using a vegetable brush to remove any grit. Trim the bottom “tail” of the beets. Brush beets with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and sprigs of thyme. Wrap in foil, place on cookie sheet, and roast until tender when pierced with knife – about 1 1/2 hours. If possible, allow beets to cool in their foil packet. Peel beets and slice into rounds.
Meanwhile, trim beet leaves from stem, wash, and blanch in boiling water (or substitute arugula). Shock the greens in ice water, drain (using paper towel to squeeze excess moisture from leaves), chop and set aside.
To make vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, tarragon, red pepper, salt and pepper in a medium sized bowl. When ready to serve the salad, use a Japanese mandolin or chef’s knife to shave celery into thin slices. Toss the celery and the chopped beet greens with half the vinaigrette. Toss the beet rounds with remaining vinaigrette. Divide greens mixture onto four salad plates, and top with equal portions of beets. Top each salad with a crumbling of chèvre cheese.
STRAWBERRY SPINACH SALAD
(from the Santa Maria Strawberry Festival)
4 cups Spinach-washed well, drained, patted dry with paper towel
½ cup Sliced Almonds
2 cups Fresh Sliced Strawberries
Dressing:
¼ cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Poppy Seeds
¼ teaspoon Paprika
2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds
½ Tablespoon Chopped Red Onion
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup Cider Vinegar
½ cup Canola Salad Oil
Blend dry ingredients together. Add liquids slowly, stir until thick. Add dressing to spinach, almonds and strawberries, toss gently.