Butternut & Delicata Squash Gratin

Oh yeah, this is one of my "DANG!" moments, as I just took my first bite (and in no way my last!)

 

A while back my friend Marcella invited me over for lunch and made a crazy-good butternut squash gratin.  I couldn't get enough.  With the holidays approaching, I thought it would be the perfect side for Thanksgiving, so I asked her for the recipe. It seemed a little daunting, so I've put it off....until today.  That butternut isn't getting any younger, and neither am I!

 

Marcella had taken a Deborah Madison recipe and mixed it up a bit, and then I took hers and mixed it up a little again, not much, cuz it was soooo good.

 

I must say, this is a bit of a labor of love for someone like me, because it takes time and patience (I generally have more of one, less of the other - if you know me, you know which is which!).  But trust me, this is worth the little extra time.

 

One of the best things about this gratin is the layer of caramelized onions on the bottom.  I used 4 medium-sized onions (you can use even a couple more), thinly sliced them and sautéed them for about a half hour over medium heat in a little butter and olive oil.  I used a cast iron skillet, so I think I could've lowered the heat a little more and cooked them even longer, but on medium, some of them started to get a little overcooked, so I pulled them off the heat after 30 minutes.  A really good caramelized onion will take about an hour....go low and slow.

 

 

 

While they were cooking, I prepped the squash

 

 

I bought a 2 pound butternut squash.  I try to buy ones with a really long neck, so that I can just use that and not bother with the bulb end, which is always a little precarious to peel and deal with.  For this recipe, I had enough squash with just the neck.  I sliced the butternut and delicate into half moons and tossed them with flour in a large bowl.

 

 

 

 

When the onions were done, I put them in the baking dish and added sliced red potatoes and rosemary to the skillet. This is layer #2. Just cook them a few minutes, turning to get a little color on them and get the cooking process started.

 

 

Layer those guys on top of the onions in the baking dish.  And then cook the squash and some sage in the same skillet (adding more oil) until they get a little bit of browning, too.

 

 

When those puppies are done, layer them on top of the potatoes.  You're almost there!!  Well not really, you have to wait an hour to cook it.....I said it took patience!

 

When everything is layered in the dish, top it with blue cheese.  I use Pt. Reyes blue cheese because it's local (and I dig that) and it has such a powerful flavor that you don't need to use much.  If you use another kind of blue or even Gorgonzola, be sure to taste it to see how strong it is, and decide if you may need more.  We all know what a cheese hound I am, so if I can get away with only 3 ounces, don't go crazy, people.

 

Then a mixture of warm chicken broth and milk gets poured over it.  It'll help mix with the flour on the squash and create a tasty little "glue" that holds it all together (well, that didn't sound so tasty, but trust me.)

 

 

Cover it and bake it for 25 minutes.  Then take off the foil and add chopped walnuts (or pecans) and return it to the oven, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. 

 

 

 

Pull it out and try to not stick your face in it!

Let it sit for about 10 minutes....patience is a virtue, peeps.  And today, for once, I was virtuous.

 

And this is what you get.  The most delicious gratin on the planet!  The squash is tender and savory, the onions are beautifully sweet, the rosemary potatoes are hearty, the nuts give it a perfect crunch against all that tender goodness, and the cheese.....oh, the cheese.

 

 

I hope this finds it's way onto your holiday table!

 

 

Butternut & Delicata Squash Gratin

Serves 6-8

4 tablespoon olive oil, divided

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided

4 large onions, thinly sliced

2 lb butternut squash

1 delicata squash (about ½ lb)

3 tablespoons flour

6 baby red potatoes, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon diced fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

½ cup milk

2 tablespoons chicken stock

3 ounces Pt. Reyes blue cheese, crumbled

1 cup chopped walnuts

Salt & pepper to taste

·         Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

·         Add onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 30 minutes.

·         Meanwhile, cut butternut in half just above the bulb end.  Peel, seed and cut each half in half again, lengthwise.  Cut into thin half moons and place in a large bowl.

·         Cut delicate in half lengthwise, seed (no need to peel), and cut into thin half moons.  Add to butternut squash.  Toss with flour and set aside.

·         When onions are done, season with salt and pepper and place in the bottom of a 7X11 baking dish.

·         Preheat oven to 350⁰.

·         Heat remaining tablespoon of butter in same skillet.  Add potatoes and rosemary and cook about 4-5 minutes to lightly brown.

·         Layer the potatoes on top of the onions.

·         Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet.  Dust off excess flour and add squash slices and sage, turning to coat.  Cook about 5 minutes just to warm through a bit.

·         Layer squash on top of potatoes and season this layer with salt and pepper.

·         Warm milk and broth in a small sauce pan.

·         Top squash with cheese and pour milk mixture over the entire gratin.

·         Cover and bake 25 minutes.

·         Remove cover, add nuts and continue baking, uncovered, an additional 20 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.

·         Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

 

oh yeah, you can thank me later.....





There's an App for That.....

...not that kind, you techie geniuses.  I'm talking appetizers! 

This is my favorite time of year, because appetizer parties are all the rage during the holidays.  This pic was taken at a Holiday Appetizer class I taught recently: Procsiutto, Arugula & Fig Roll-ups on the left, Vegetarian Potstickers next to it, and Field Green Salad in a Parmesan Cup.  Soooooo yummy!!

But no appetizer party is complete without crostini.  It's the most versatile appetizer on the planet because you can top them with any single dingle thing you like.  My new obsession is a Shiitake Mushroom Crostini:

There are two key things to remember when making crostini:  1) They get crispier (not in a good way) the longer they sit, so don't make too many at once or too far in advance.  You can make a bunch of your filling ahead, but toast the bread as you need it,  They only take about 8 to 10 minutes to toast, so it's not time consuming.  2) Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil; this helps them stay nice and soft right out of the oven.

I like to buy chiabatta baguettes and cut them into 1/4" slices.  Bake them at 350 for about 8 minutes until lightly toasted.

While they're baking, saute some sliced shiitake mushrooms, sliced shallots and chopped garlic in a little bit of almost-browned butter over medium high heat until the mushrooms are soft and brown.  Add chopped thyme leaves, a splash of balsamic vinegar or marsala, a pinch of salt and pepper and remove from the heat.

Place the toasted bread on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and top with the mushroom mixture. 

If you want to....and you know you do.... add a little dollop of Pt Reyes bleu cheese and pop back in the oven for another five minutes or so until the cheese melts.

Soooo dang good!!  I can't get enough of these little nuggets!  Give it a try at your next dinner party and you'll start the night off right!  Or do what I did the other night.....just make this for dinner with a big ol' salad.

Great..... now I'm hungry all over again.  So tell me, what's your favorite appetizer to make or eat???

Yum it up!!