Sesame Scallion Butternut Squash Food

OLD BAY BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Halve, peel and seed 1 small butternut squash; cut into 3/4-inch-thick wedges. Toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon Old Bay and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast at 425˚ until lightly browned and tender, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH BISQUE WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper on a baking sheet; spread in a single layer. Roast until tender and browned, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the leek, carrots, garlic, marjoram, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted squash, chicken broth and 2 cups water; bring to a simmer. Cook until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the marjoram sprigs and bay leaf. Puree the soup in the pot using an immersion blender until smooth (or puree in a regular blender in batches).
• Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the browned butter to the soup and puree again; reserve the skillet. Gently reheat the soup over medium-low heat; thin with water if necessary. Season with salt and cayenne.
• Wipe out the reserved skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and set over high heat. Lightly season the shrimp with salt and add to the skillet. Cook, turning once, until the shrimp are browned around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to a plate.
• Add the almonds to the skillet and toast, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 1 minute. Serve the soup in small cups or bowls. Top with the shrimp, almonds and chives.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH TAMALES

Steps:

• For dough: Put butternut squash in a medium pot with broth, scallion, adobo sauce, garlic, salt, and cumin. Bring to a simmer and cook until squash is tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove the squash with a slotted spoon, and reserve the broth. Set aside half of the squash for the filling, then mash the remaining squash is a large bowl. Mix in the masa with a fork. Slowly pour the seasoned broth over the filling, mixing with a fork (or hands) until smooth. Slowly stir in oils, a little at a time until dough is soft and moist. Cover with plastic wrap, set aside.
• For filling: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, garlic, chiles, cumin and salt and cook until soft, about 1 minute,. Add reserved squash, olives, raisins, capers, and cook, stirring gently, until well combined, about 1 minute longer. Add broth and orange zest and cook, stirring occasionally until broth is slightly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro, remove from heat.
• To assemble: Cut 2 husks into 24-inch lengths about 1/2-inch wide. Place other soaked corn husks on cutting board, open side up. Place about a 1/4 cup dough in the center of each husk, leaving enough corn husk free to enclose tamale. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons filling on top. Then cover filling with about 2 to 3 tablespoons more of dough. Wrap the husks around the filling and twist and tie ends with reserved strips to make party favor shaped tamales.
• Set up a 10-inch steamer basket. Lay tamales in steamer, cover and cook until the husks get slightly translucent, about 50 minutes. Remove tamales from steamer, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with additional hot sauce if desired.
• Halloween 2008 Web

CHILI-SESAME BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with foil. Whisk the melted butter, orange juice, sugar and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the squash, chiles, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; toss to coat.
• Divide the squash mixture and liquid between the prepared baking sheets, spreading the squash in a single layer. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Roast, flipping the squash halfway through, until the squash is tender and caramelized in spots and the sesame seeds are lightly toasted, about 40 minutes. (The squash can be made up to 4 hours ahead. Serve at room temperature.)

BRAISED COLLARD GREENS AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger and a few grinds of pepper; stir until combined.
• Add the collard greens, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards wilt, about 5 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the collards are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the squash, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and toss to coat. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice or hot sauce if using.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the shallots are soft, about 3 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic, ginger and a few grinds of pepper; stir until combined.
• Add the collard greens, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the collards wilt, about 5 minutes.
• Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the collards are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the squash, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and toss to coat. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice or hot sauce if using.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH LENTILS AND FETA

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Pick any debris from the lentils, then rinse the lentils under running water. Transfer them to a medium saucepan, then add the cinnamon, garlic and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Add enough water to cover everything by 1 inch. Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to low and let simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain the lentils, discard the cinnamon and garlic, then transfer the lentils to a large bowl.
• While the lentils cook, prepare the squash: Trim and discard the top and bottom ends of the squash. Peel the squash, halve it lengthwise, and remove and discard the strings and seeds. Slice the squash crosswise 1/4-inch thick and place the pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Roast the squash until completely tender, slightly caramelized and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Once cool, add to the lentils.
• While the squash cooks, prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, honey, cumin, cayenne and black pepper. Taste and season to taste with salt.
• Sprinkle the feta, scallions and pumpkin seeds over the lentils and squash. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the lentils and squash. Serve warm or at room temperature, with the remaining dressing on the side.

SESAME-SCALLION CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring chicken, 3 Tbsp. kosher salt, and 5 cups water to a bare simmer in a medium pot over medium heat (chicken should be submerged). Be patient-this will take a little while. Once liquid begins to simmer, reduce heat to low and cook (water should not be simmering at all now) until juices run clear when thickest part of chicken is pierced, 8-10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a medium bowl; discard poaching liquid. Let chicken sit until cool enough to handle, then shred meat into big pieces; set aside.
• Meanwhile, place scallions in a small bowl and pour in very cold water to cover; let soak 10 minutes.
• Drain scallions in a mesh sieve or colander, then rinse under cold running water, swishing vigorously to rinse and to encourage them to curl up. Shake off as much water as possible and place in a large bowl; set aside.
• Working one at a time, slice cucumbers in half crosswise, then slice each piece in half lengthwise. Place quarters cut side down and slice in half lengthwise again to create 8 pieces total per cucumber. Add to bowl with reserved chicken.
• Set 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds aside in a small bowl for serving. Crush remaining sesame seeds in a mortar and pestle until some of the seeds have turned to powder, but with plenty of whole seeds left. (Alternatively, you can pulse seeds a few times in a food processor or spice mill, then transfer to a medium bowl before proceeding). Add lime juice, tahini, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes and mash to create a paste. Add ¼ cup water and whisk to combine (if you don't have a small enough whisk, work in with the pestle). Taste and season with salt.
• Add lettuce and cilantro to bowl with reserved scallions. Pour half of dressing over and toss to coat. Arrange on a platter. Pour remaining dressing over chicken and cucumbers, toss to coat, and arrange over greens. Top salad with reserved 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds and squeeze juice from lime half over.