ROASTED BUTTERNUT-SQUASH PIE
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
From "The Food You Want to Eat" by Ted Allen.
• 1/2 pkg. (1 lb.) frozen phyllo dough
• 1 butternut squash (about 21/2 lb.)
• 2 medium red onions, peeled and sliced 1/2-in. thick through the equator
• 1 red bell pepper, halved, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 5 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus 1/3 c. for brushing the phyllo, or as needed
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped ginger (about 1 in., peeled)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 c. coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 c. raisins
• 1/4 c. walnut pieces
• 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
• 16 oz. spinach, large stems removed
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove phyllo from freezer and thaw at room temperature 1 hour. Meanwhile, trim off both ends of the squash. Cut the rounded end in half. With a spoon, scoop out seeds and discard them. Peel with a vegetable peeler or a knife and cut into 3-inch chunks.
Put squash chunks, onions and red-pepper halves on a baking sheet so that the vegetables are as much in a single layer as possible. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons oil. Toss to coat the vegetables with the oil. Roast 30 minutes, turning the vegetables once with a spatula. Remove the pepper halves and turn everything again. Roast 10 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned. Dump the squash into a large bowl. Quarter the onion slices and cut the pepper into 1-inch cubes; dump them both into the bowl. Sprinkle the vegetables with the ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cilantro, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the raisins and toss gently; set aside.
Lower oven temperature to 375 degrees. Put the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven, shaking the pan twice for even cooking, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and chop; dump them into the bowl with the vegetables and stir gently.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil with the garlic in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes to flavor the oil. Add about one-third of the spinach and cook, turning it in the oil with tongs, until wilted, about 1 minute. Add more spinach and cook, turning as before, and then add the remaining spinach. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until all the spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes total.
To assemble the pie, have ready a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and a pastry brush. Pour 1/3 cup olive oil into a small bowl. Set that on a work area with the phyllo and the vegetables. Open the package of thawed phyllo and unroll the pastry sheets so they lie flat. Brush the baking dish with olive oil. Arrange the dish so that one long side faces you. Starting at the left edge of the dish, lay one sheet of phyllo in the dish crosswise so that it covers about half of the bottom and half of the sheet hangs over the side facing you. Brush the part that covers the bottom with olive oil. Now lay a second sheet along the right-hand side of the dish, overlapping the first sheet in the middle of the dish and overhanging the side facing you. Brush with olive oil. Repeat with 2 more sheets, but this time arrange them in the dish so that they overhang the other long side of the dish (at the top). Continue in the same way until you've used 14 sheets of phyllo.
Line the bottom of the dish with about half of the spinach, using your hands to open up the leaves and spread them out. Spoon the squash mixture on top and gently flatten with the spoon. Cover with the rest of the spinach. Working with the side of the dish facing you, fold one of the phyllo sheets over the filling and brush with oil. Fold the sheet next to it over and brush with oil. Do the same for 2 sheets on the opposing side of the dish. Continue in this way until all of the phyllo is folded over the filling. Then cover with 2 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each with more oil.
Put the baking dish in the oven and bake until the pastry is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving, or let cool to room temperature. Cut pie into squares and serve.
Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:
Calories464Fat27 gSodium760 mg
Carbohydrates53 gSaturated fat4 gCalcium150 mg
Protein7 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber8 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1/2 fruit; 3 bread/starch, 5 1/2 fat.
WINTER-SQUASH SOUFFLÉ
Serves 6.
Note: From Gourmet magazine.
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter plus additional for greasing
• 3 tbsp. flour
• 11/2 c. whole milk
• 1 (12-oz.) pkg. frozen winter-squash purée, thawed
• 1 c. (1/4 lb.) coarsely grated Swiss cheese
• 1 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. salt, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 egg yolks
• 4 egg whites
• Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Generously butter a 2-quart shallow ceramic or glass baking dish. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until foam subsides, then add flour and make a roux, whisking while cooking, 2 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream and boil, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Whisk in squash purée, cheese, brown sugar, salt, cayenne and nutmeg until combined (mixture may not be completely smooth), then transfer to a large bowl and whisk in egg yolks.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt in another bowl with an electric mixer until they just hold stiff peaks. Fold one-fourth of whites into squash mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Spoon into baking dish and bake, uncovered, 15 minutes. Loosely cover top with foil and bake until puffed, golden brown, and just set, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately, with freshly ground pepper.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories244Fat16 gSodium400 mgSaturated fat9 g
Carbohydrates15 gCalcium248 mg
Protein12 gCholesterol130 mgDietary fiber2 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 bread/starch, 1 medium-fat meat, 2 fat.
SPICED PUMPKIN, LENTIL AND GOAT-CHEESE SALAD
Serves 6.
Note: As a side dish, this trumps many others for vegetarians because of its protein punch. From Bon Appetit magazine.
• 3/4 c. French green lentils
• 6 c. sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from a 2-lb. whole pumpkin), peeled, seeded and cut in 1-in. pieces
• 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. hot smoked Spanish paprika (called pimenton)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 4 c. baby arugula
• 1 c. soft goat cheese, crumbled, divided
• 1/4 c. thinly sliced mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. red-wine vinegar
Directions
Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pumpkin pieces in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.
Combine lentils, pumpkin and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle with remaining goat cheese.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories227Fat12 gSodium290 mgSaturated fat4 gCarbohydrates20 gCalcium90 mg
Protein12 gCholesterol11 mgDietary fiber6 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 bread/starch, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 1/2 fat.
CREAMED ONIONS WITH A WHOLE-WHEAT BREADCRUMB TOPPING
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: No squash here but this dish offers a welcome spot on the table when vegans are present. Pearl onions can be a real pain to peel, so if you're crunched for time, feel free to substitute frozen pearl onions in this otherwise easy recipe. If your family isn't vegan, you could substitute real butter and cream as well as unbleached flour. From "Spork-Fed" by Jenny Engel and Heather Goldberg. Tested by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
• 4 slices whole-wheat bread, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp. neutral-tasting, high-heat oil
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. finely ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. agave nectar
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 lb. fresh pearl onions
• 3 tbsp. non-dairy butter
• 3 tbsp. spelt flour
• 1 c. soy-milk creamer
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. Champagne vinegar
• 1 tsp. brown rice or maple syrup
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For breadcrumbs: Place bread on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, agave and lemon juice. Toss to coat and bake for about 7 to 9 minutes or until crisp.
Pulse bread mixture in a food processor until breadcrumb consistency is reached, and set aside.
For creamed onions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pearl onions in their skin and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Drain onions and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. To peel, slice both ends off and squeeze onion out of skin, discarding outer layers. Set aside.
In a medium pot, combine butter and flour. Whisk over medium heat, making a roux. Add creamer, salt, pepper, nutmeg, vinegar and brown rice syrup. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until mixture is thick and creamy.
Grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and add onions. Coat with sauce mixture and top with breadcrumb topping. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until mixture bubbles in the center.
Nutrition information per each of 6 servings:
Calories208Fat11 gSaturated fat5 gSodium540 mg
Carbohydrates25 gCalcium46 mg
Protein4 gCholesterol15 mgDietary fiber3 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 1/2 bread/starch, 2 fat.