Butternut Squash With Browned Butter Food

BROWN BUTTER AND SAGE BUTTERNUT SQUASH BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and place the squash in the pan.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the onion to the pan with the squash.
• Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 5 tablespoons butter. Heat until the butter melts and begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. (The butter will begin to separate and sizzle. Take care to let it gently brown rather than burn. If the butter burns, throw it out and try again.) Stir in the sage. Drizzle the butter mixture over the squash and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to toss the mixture until the squash is evenly coated with the browned butter.
• Bake until the squash is tender and beginning to brown around the edges, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 400 degrees F. Top the squash with the crackers and cook until the crackers are nicely golden brown, an additional 20 minutes.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI WITH A SAGE BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add the squash puree and cook until the mixture is slightly dry, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3 tablespoons cheese and nutmeg, to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Cool completely.
• Cut the pasta ribbons into 3-inch squares. Place 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each pasta square. Bring 1 corner of the square to the other, forming a triangle and seal the pasta completely. Add the pasta to pot of boiling salted water. Cook until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes or until the pasta floats and is pale in color.
• Remove the pasta from the water and drain well. Season the pasta with salt and pepper.
• In a large saute pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Add the sage to the butter and continue to cook until the butter starts to brown. Remove from the heat.
• Place some of the pasta in the center of each serving plate. Spoon the butter sauce over the pasta. Sprinkle the 2 ounces of cheese over each plate and garnish with parsley.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BROWN BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large skillet over med-high heat until golden brown. Add squash; saute, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender when pierced with fork about 16 minutes.
• Add chicken broth, the water and brown sugar, cook until liquid has evaporated and squash is nicely carmelized, about 6 minutes.
• Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper.
• Serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND THYME

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Add the butter, whisking frequently. Continue to cook the butter.
• Once melted it will foam up a bit, then subside. Honey-colored browned milk solids will begin to form.
• The butter should have a wonderful nutty aroma. Remove from heat. Add the thyme, whisking continuously. If using fresh thyme, the mixture will foam up a bit.
• (Note that it doesn't take much time to go from browned butter to burnt butter. You will want to remove the pan from the heat element and place it on a cool surface to help stop the cooking of the butter. If the butter burns, I recommend dumping it and starting over, something I've had to do on occasion when not paying close attention.).
• Add the cubed butternut squash pieces to the pan and return the pan to the burner, heating to medium high.
• Use a wooden or metal spoon to stir the squash pieces so they are all well coated with the butter thyme mixture. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
• Spread the squash pieces out in an even layer and let cook, without stirring, so that they brown a bit on one side (several minutes).
• Stir and spread the pieces out again and let cook without stirring so more sides get browned.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let cook until the squash is tender, 10 to 20 minutes, depending on how big you cut the pieces.
• Add more salt and pepper to taste, sprinkle with a bit more chopped fresh thyme before serving.

BROWN-BUTTER ORZO WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• In a medium Dutch oven, or a large (12-inch) skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the foam subsides, the milk solids turn golden brown and it smells nutty and toasty, 3 to 4 minutes. (Watch carefully to see that it doesn't burn.)
• Stir in shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add squash, sage, a large pinch of salt, the 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and the 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, and cook until squash is golden at the edges and begins to soften, 12 to 17 minutes.
• Add stock and bring to a simmer. Stir in orzo, lemon zest and the 1 teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and simmer over medium-low heat until orzo is just tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, 14 to 18 minutes, stirring once or twice. If the pan dries out before the orzo and squash are tender, add a splash or two of water.
• Remove pan from heat and stir in Parmesan. Taste and add more salt if needed, and a squeeze of lemon juice if the dish needs brightness. Dollop with ricotta if using, and sprinkle with more grated Parmesan and black pepper just before serving, garnishing the top with more red-pepper flakes and sage.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN BROWN BUTTER AND NUTMEG

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cut peeled and seeded squash into 1-inch cubes.
• Spray a baking sheet or dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place squash on baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.
• Toss to coat and arrange in a single layer.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until very tender and beginning to brown, stirring occasionally.
• Transfer to serving dish or bowl.
• Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat, until butter turns a nut-colored brown, about 4 minutes only-- don't burn it!
• Pour over squash, toss to coat, and sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Serve hot.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RAVIOLI WITH BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Rub squash down with 1 tablespoon olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Cut the tops off of each clove of garlic, rub with oil, and wrap in foil. Place on the baking sheet.
• Roast in the preheated oven until squash and garlic cloves are soft and browned, about 30 minutes.
• Remove squash and garlic from the oven. Remove the garlic skin and transfer to the bowl of a food processor. Add squash along with ricotta, grated Parmesan, brown sugar, and salt for filling. Blend into a thick paste. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and set in the refrigerator until cool.
• While squash is roasting, whisk semolina, all-purpose flour, and salt for pasta together in a bowl. Dump onto a counter and push flour into a mound. Dig a well in the center. Crack eggs into the well and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Start folding flour and egg onto each other; continue kneading and folding until it comes together as a dough. Add more flour or oil if it is too wet or dry, respectively. The final product should look smooth, and the dough should bounce back if you press your thumb into it. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
• If you have a pasta maker, pass the pasta through to make a pasta sheet about the thickness of a dime. If not, get to work with a roller on a lightly floured surface. Make several sheets.
• On one sheet, dollop about 2 tablespoons of squash filling 2 inches apart. Place another sheet over top and press the dough down around each lump of filling. Try to keep it tight, as you don't want a lot of air in the interior. But don't go too close, or you'll have filling trapped between pasta layers and ruin the seal. Use a ravioli stamp to stamp out and seal each ravioli. Set aside.
• In another pan, heat a thin layer of canola oil over medium heat. Working in batches, fry sage leaves until dark green and crispy. Remove to paper towel-lined plate to strain grease. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; simmer, stirring frequently, until browned, fragrant, and foamy, with brown bits in it, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tarragon, thyme, and salt.
• While sauce is being prepared, bring a pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add raviolis and boil until they float, about 5 minutes. Drain and plate.
• Ladle butter sauce over pasta and garnish with fried sage. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BROWNED BUTTER

Steps:

• Cut squash in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and fibers. Cut crosswise into 3 or 4 inch lengths to make peeling easier. Cut peeled squash into 1/2" wide strips, cut the strips into 1/2" cubes.
• Heat butter over medium-high heat in skillet until light to medium brown. Watch closely to prevent burning. If using a skillet with a dark interior, scoop some of the browning butter into a shiny spoon to check color.
• Add squash cubes to butter. Stir to coat well. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 10 minutes, remove cover and add sage and pepper. Stir to make sure that all chunks have contact with bottom of pan and cook until squash is tender, approximately an additional 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.