Squash with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

  
Another winner from Ottolenghi! The sweet squash, with spicy sriracha and herby yogurt – yummy!

Ingredients:
16 oz butternut squash, cubed
1 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 c cilantro
1 clove garlic
1/4 c pumpkin seeds, toasted
1 c greek yogurt
Sriracha to taste
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425.

Toss squash with cinnamon and 1 tbsp olive oil. Roast until slightly charred about 30 minutes. 

Combine cilantro, garlic, 4 tbsp olive oil and yogurt in a food processor, pulse until smooth.

To serve drizzle yogurt sauce and Sriracha over roasted squash top with pumpkin seeds.

Serves 4.

Pork Cutlets with Squash and Lime Vinagrette

This recipe was inspired by Bon Appetite. I swapped out the pork chops for loin and upped the like juice. The Vinagrette is what makes this recipe amazing!!

Ingredients:
2 TBSP pepitas, toasted
3 lbs Delicata squash, halved, seeded, cut into 1″ wedges
4 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper
4 1/2 “-thick pork loin slices
1/2 small garlic clove, finely grated
3 TBSP cilantro,
4 TBSP fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss squash with 1 TBSP oil on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast squash, turning occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 35-40 minutes.

When squash has been roasting for 30 minutes, heat 1 TBSP oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper and cook until brown, 2 – 4 minutes. Turn over and cook until pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.

Whisk garlic, cilantro, lime juice, reserved toasted pumpkin seeds, and 2 TBSP oil in a small bowl to combine. Season vinaigrette with salt, pepper, and more lime juice, if desired.

Divide squash and pork among plates; spoon vinaigrette over. Top with cilantro leaves.

Serves 4.

Squash Soup with Pepitas Two Ways

Fall is finally upon us in California – it’s a chilly 59 degrees today! Which means it is time for soup!! This one is from Food & Wine – I love the use of pepitas two ways to add different textures to the creamy soup!

Ingredients:
3/4 c raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
6 TBSP olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 3 lb kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2/3 c white wine
4 c vegetable stock
2 c water
Pumpkin seed oil for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread 1/2 cup of the pumpkin seeds in a pie plate. In another pie plate, toss the remaining 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds with the 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, the sugar and a pinch of salt. Bake the pumpkin seeds for 12 minutes, stirring once, until lightly browned and crisp; let cool completely.
Transfer the plain roasted pumpkin seeds to a mini food processor. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil and pulse until the seeds are ground to a paste. Season with salt.

In a saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened and just starting to brown, 8 minutes. Add the squash and bay leaf and cook, stirring, until the squash just begins to soften, 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook until almost evaporated, 4 minutes. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring, until the squash is very tender, 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.

Purée the soup with an immersion blender until smooth.

Garnish with seeds, pesto and a drizzle of pumpkin oil.

Serves 6.

Summer Vegetable Gratin

This dish is a who’s who of summer veggies – eggplant, zucchini, squash & tomatoes. I like to lots of fresh herbs in the breadcrumbs and onion mixture to punch up the flavor. A couple of tips: find veggies that are all the same diameter and use a mandoline to slice all but the tomatoes. If your not watching your waste you can toss the zuks, squash and eggplant slices in olive oil before layering.

2 – 3 Roma tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 medium yellow squash, sliced 1/4 inch think
2 zuks, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Canola oil
2 1/2 c chopped onion
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Kosher salt
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp thyme
1 TBSP micro basil or basil finely chopped
1/4 c olive oil
Pepper
1/3 c parmigiano reggiano
1/3 c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350

In a large pan sauté onions, leeks, 1 tsp thyme and garlic in 2 tsp canola oil over low heat until brown and soft, about 20 minutes.

In 9 by 13 pan, spread the onion mixture over the bottom. Then layer rows of eggplant, squash, zucchini, tomato – you want them to overlap. Mix together bread crumbs, herbs & cheese and spoon over the top. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Serves 6
3 WW PP

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Sauce

I love pasta, but let’s face it, pasta has a lot of calories and I would rather have cake. So instead I substitute veggies for the pasta part and make a sauce from scratch. Here I use spaghetti squash, super easy and tasty.

Ingredients:
1 spaghetti squash
1 onion, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic minced
1 TBSP olive oil
28 oz canned tomatoes
1 cup red wine
2 bay leaves
6 springs fresh thyme
2 springs fresh Rosemary
1 TBSP dried basil
1 tsp red chili pepper flakes
2 sausage, I used rabbit, but pork will work too

Heat oven to 375

Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Turn cut side down on a lightly oiled baking pan. Cook for 45 – 60 min until tender (literally stick a fork in it).

Meanwhile, cut up sausage and remove casing, brown in a 3 qt pan. Once brown remove from pan, add oil and onions and garlic. Cook for 5 min until soft, then add tomatoes, wine and herbs. Cook for 30 – 44 min. Purée and add sausage and keep warm on low heat.

When squash is done, use a fork to scrape it into a non metallic bowl. Add sauce.

Serves 4 – 6
5 WW PP