Smoked Gruyere Butternut Squash Food

SMOKED SAUSAGE, BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WILD RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Season the squash with 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender. Remove from the oven and cool completely. In a blender or food processor, puree the squash with 2 cups of the chicken stock. Puree until smooth and set aside.
• In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring 4 cups of the stock and 1/2 cup of the chopped onions to a simmer. Stir in the rice and cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a fork. Remove the rice from the pan and cool. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and brown for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of onions and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Add the remaining 6 cups of stock and squash puree. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the rice and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the half-and-half and reason with salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve.

QUINOA WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set aside.
• Place the squash in a medium bowl and add 3 tablespoons of the oil, the thyme and 2 teaspoons of salt and season with pepper to taste. Mix until the squash is well coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and spread squash out into a single layer. Roast until a paring knife slides into the squash with no resistance, about 30 minutes, stirring about halfway through the cooking time. Put the pistachios on a small baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in cold water in a fine-mesh strainer. Bring the broth or water to a boil and stir in the quinoa. Simmer, uncovered, until a small white spiral becomes visible in each grain, about 9 minutes. Drain the quinoa and transfer it to a medium bowl. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the pistachios, cranberries, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the spinach in a large mixing bowl and toss with the hot squash until slightly wilted. Add the quinoa mixture and toss again. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LOADED BUTTERNUT SQUASH "CORDON BLEU"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Slowly and carefully cut butternut squash in half lengthwise, starting at the stem end. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Slice off about 1/8 inch from the bottom of each half to ensure they lay flat while baking. Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Place in the center of the preheated oven and roast until tender but not falling apart, 60 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit until cool enough to handle. Increase oven temperature to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).
• Use a spoon to scoop squash into a bowl, leaving about 1/2 inch attached to the skin so it won't collapse and fall apart later.
• Add salt, pepper, Dijon mustard, and egg to squash. Mix and mash with a spoon until smooth, or leave it a bit chunky, if desired. Stir in 1/4 cup green onions, ham, and diced Gruyere cheese; mix until combined.
• Scoop mixture back into the squash shells, distributing as evenly as possible and top with grated Gruyere.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until cheese is browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and top with green onions. Slice and serve.

SQUASH, MUSTARD & GRUYèRE GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook slowly over a low-medium heat, stirring every now and then, for 10-15 mins until golden and soft.
• Meanwhile, put the garlic and half the sage in a saucepan, add the cream and milk, and heat gently, not allowing the mixture to boil, for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 mins, then fish out the sage and garlic. Stir in the mustard and season well.
• If cooking straight away, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Layer the pumpkin slices, onions, most of the cheese and the infused cream into a large baking dish, finishing with a layer of cream. Once you've used the ingredients up, scatter with the remaining cheese and put the remaining sage leaves on top. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 45 mins.
• Uncover the dish and increase the heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cook for a further 20-30 mins until golden brown and tender all the way through. Leave to cool for 10 mins before serving.