Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lb butternut squash

• 6 cups nonfat chicken broth

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (9 oz)

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

• 5 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1/2 oz)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

• 4 oz arugula or baby spinach (6 cups), stems discarded and leaves very coarsely chopped

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.

2. Halve squash lengthwise and seed, then cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and season with salt. Roast slices, skin side down, in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until tender and golden, about 50 minutes.

3. Set aside 6 crescent-shaped squash slices for serving and keep warm. Cut flesh from remaining slices into 1/2-inch pieces, discarding skin.

4. Start risotto after squash has been roasting 40 minutes.

5. Bring broth to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer, covered.

6. Meanwhile, cook onion in butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add rice, garlic, and cumin and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

7. Stir in 1/2 cup simmering broth and cook at a strong simmer, stirring frequently, until broth is absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking but still al dente (it should be the consistency of thick soup), about 18 minutes total. (There will be leftover broth.)

8. Stir in squash pieces, then stir in cheese, salt, sage, and arugula and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. (If necessary, thin risotto with some leftover broth.)

9. Serve risotto immediately, spooned over reserved squash slices.

Creamy Delicata Squash Pasta with Crispy Sage

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon ghee

• 1 small onion, minced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1 small delicata squash, peeled, deseeded, halved and sliced

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 1/4 cup vegetable stock

• 1/4 cup heavy cream

• Salt and black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme

• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped sage

• 4 ounces pasta, cooked according to package directions

• Crispy sage, optional for garnish

• Parmesan cheese, optional for garnish

PREPARATION:

• Heat ghee in a large sauté pan and add onion and garlic. Cook over low heat until they start to caramelize, then add the squash slices. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, or until squash is tender, then remove half of the cooked squash from the pan and set aside. 

• Deglaze the pan with the wine and stock and cook until you are able to mash to squash with the back of a fork. Add cream, and season with salt, pepper, thyme and sage. Mash the squash with a fork until a somewhat smooth sauce has formed. 

• Add the cooked pasta and reserved squash to pan and stir to combine. Add a bit of stock or some of the pasta water if needed to help sauce come together.

• Garnish with crispy sage and Parmesan cheese, if desired. To crisp the sage, heat a bit of olive oil in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook for about 10 seconds, or until the leaves crisp up.

Slow-Cooked Acorn Squash with Sage and Thyme

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeds removed, sliced crosswise ½" thick

• ½ head of garlic

• 2 sprigs sage

• 2 sprigs thyme

• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

• ¾ tsp. kosher salt

• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

PREPARATION:

1. Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°. Toss squash, garlic, sage, thyme, oil, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.

2. Turn garlic cut side down, then roast vegetables, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, very tender, and edges and cut sides are crisp, 60–70 minutes.

3. Let cool slightly, then add vinegar and toss to coat.

Celeriac Soup with Thyme

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium celeriac (celery root) (roughly 9 oz)

• 2 carrots (roughly 4 oz)

• 2 medium russet potatoes (roughly 14 oz)

• 1 medium shallot (roughly 3 oz)

• 2 cloves large garlic

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 to 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth

• 5 sprigs thyme

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 10 fresh sage leaves

• 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 425° F.

2. Cut off skin and roots of celeriac. Dice celeriac, carrots, and potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Place on a baking sheet or in roasting pan. Roughly mince shallot and garlic. Add to dice vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss until all the vegetables are well coated. Roast in the oven 35 to 40 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to caramelize and brown.

3. While vegetables are roasting, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat until hot. Fry sage, 3 to 4 leaves at a time until crisp. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. When vegetables are done roasting, transfer them into a blender. Add thyme leaves from 5 sprigs into blender with 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Puree until smooth. Add more vegetable broth to achieve the consistency you desire.

5. Transfer soup to a medium pot. Bring to boil over medium heat. Serve with crispy sage, extra thyme and a drizzle of heavy cream.

Tips & Tricks: Be sure to wash and peel celeriac before using it in any recipe. If you are using an immersion blender or regular blender (not high speed), be sure to peel the potatoes before roasting to achieve a smooth consistency in the soup. The soup consistency is on the thicker side. After pureeing, add more broth if desired to get a thinner soup.

Tuscan Bean Salad with a Walnut Sage Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans (or alternitively 2 15 ounce cans drained and rinsed)

• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion

• 1/3 cup walnut pieces toasted in a 350F oven for 8 minutes

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• Juice of one lemon

• 4 tablespoons torn sage leaves

• 1 clove rough chopped garlic

• 1 tablespoon walnut oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/3 cup water

• 1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley

• Salt and pepper to re season if desired

PREPARATION:

1. Cool the walnut pieces after toasting them and then rough chop them and place in the bowl of a mini food processor along with the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, sage leaves, salt, pepper, walnut oil and water. Process until smooth.

2. Combine the beans with the diced red onion and add the dressing. Stir in the chopped parsley and refrigerate for a couple of hours to let the flavors blend. Remove from the fridge and bring the salad up to room temperature. Re season with salt and pepper if desired.