roasted butternut squash and caramelized onion galette

Hmmm. Let's see if I can remember how this works.

It's been nearly a year since I've posted anything here. That's not to say that I haven't been cooking. But between babies and moving and a book and, well, life, making something delicious and also writing down notes while cooking, snapping prep and food pics and penning witty posts... the former I like to think I do a decent amount of, but the rest has not been high on my priority list.

This is not to say that will necessarily change. But if I find myself with some rare and treasured free time, perhaps now and then I'll be inspired enough to both create good food and even take some pictures and write about it. No promises, though. There is another baby on the horizon, so much time will be spent there, however perhaps I'll receive culinary inspiration from the little darling as well. And there are already two little boys who show an early interest in food and cooking, which is another worthy reason to spend good time in the kitchen.

Speaking of which, this past holiday week has involved a lot of good time in the kitchen. I did something that I haven't done for a very long time: I got out a few cookbooks and flipped through them. I had a stack of post-its and a pen in hand, used to flag pages with recipes of interest and jot down ingredients needing to be procured. This exercise has led to a number of yummy things: molasses oat bread (Avery and Dorian made their own mini-loafs!), citrus barley risotto, hedgehog potatoes, poached sole with lemon caper and white wine reduction, kale salad with cherries and walnuts, whole wheat bread, a potato/bacon/green onion frittata, and—what I would consider the highlight of the week's kitchen adventures and the topic of this post—roasted butternut squash and caramelized onion galette.

The recipe is from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (which I'm pretty sure was gifted to me by Marika; if so and you're reading this, thank you!). It takes a little time, but none of the steps are particularly difficult—unless you consider yourself mostly inept at making pastry crust, like me, though the great thing about a galette is its "free form," which for me removes the requirement of pretty-looking pastry that I never seem quite able to achieve, a shortcoming that's much less visible here than in items like pies and tarts. The result is aesthetically interesting (which is my nice way of saying my dough was still ugly) and incredibly tasty.

With a quick internet search, I was also able to find the recipe on the Smitten Kitchen site (here), though it looks like it's for about an 8-inch galette serving six, while the one in the cookbook that I followed is for a 12-inch galette serving eight. Like the author, Randy, the boys, and I were able to get three full meals out of it. If you're going to go through all the work of making the pastry, roasting the squash, and caramelizing the onions, I'd recommend the following big version so you can enjoy the fruits of your labor for a while!

I followed the pastry ingredients and instructions exactly, but read through the rest and executed from memory (and experience), so there are probably some minor variations from the original. Here's what I did:

Roasted Butternut Squash & Caramelized Onion Galette
Yields 12 inch galette serving 8

For the pastry:
2 c. all purpose flour (I had bread flour on hand, so used that)
1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar (I substituted champagne vinegar because I was out of wwv)
1/3 c. ice water
1 egg yolk, beaten (for glaze on assembled galette, not dough)

For the filling:
1 butternut squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
2 large yellow onions
a pinch of sugar (I used muscavado)
a pinch cayenne pepper
2 c. grated fontina cheese
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Start by making the pastry. Combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add whole sticks of butter and use a pastry blender to break up butter until the mixture is the texture of cornmeal. In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, vinegar and water. Pour over butter-flour mixture. Stir until dough forms, kneading it a bit of needed to bring it together (I did, mine was a bit dry though probably because I was a little shy of the 1/2 c. sour cream). Pat dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator while you prep the rest.

Next, roast the squash. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel the squash, halve it and scoop out seeds. Chop into roughly 1/2" pieces. Pour olive oil onto rimmed baking sheet. Add squash and stir to coat. Arrange squash in a single later. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, or until squash is tender, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool.

While squash is roasting, caramelize the onions. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Cut onions into thin half moons. Add to pan, along with sugar and cayenne. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook onions, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Mix squash, onions, grated cheese, and thyme together in a bowl.

Now, you're ready to assemble the galette. Roll out dough on a floured work surface to a 16- to 17-inch round. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread squash mixture over dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border around the edge. Fold over the border, pleating the edge to make it fit (the center will be open). Brush outside of crust with egg yolk.

Bake in 400 degree oven until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for five minutes, then slide onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges. The galette can be served hot, warm, or at room temperature.

One year ago: lamb flatbread
Two years ago: mmm...hamburgers!
Three years ago: black bean brownies
Four years ago: chocolate pistachio shortbread
Five years ago: sautéed green beans with fried shallots
Six years ago: my very first post! where the magic happens

squash, kale, and black bean baked burritos

Baby Avery's second meal with kale coincided with his first encounter with butternut squash. On this night, the grown ups enjoyed roasted butternut squash, kale, and black bean baked burritos, while Avery's meal consisted of pureed squash, kale, and black beans (pictured above). All were satisfied!

Squash, Kale, and Black Bean Baked Burritos

Serves 4 plus baby

olive oil

1 medium butternut squash

1 big bunch curly kale, de-stemmed and chopped

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. oregano

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 c. monterey jack cheese, grated

4 whole wheat tortillas

1 c. of your favorite salsa

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Brush with olive oil and place cut-side down in glass baking dish. Roast in 400-degree oven until soft, about 60 minutes.

Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to color. Add kale. Cover and allow to steam for about 2 minutes, until bright green and starting to cook down. Uncover and add cumin and oregano, stirring well to coat.

For the baby: Scoop a couple spoonfuls of the roasted butternut squash and put into the bowl of a food processor. Add a scoop of the kale mixture and a spoonful or two of black beans. Process to desired consistency, adding a bit of water if needed.

For the grown ups: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide remaining butternut squash, kale, and black beans among the 4 tortillas. Top with cheese (reserving about 1/4 cup) and roll into 4 burritos. Place burritos in glass baking dish. Spoon salsa over the top. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 10-15 minutes.

butternut squash lasagna

It is officially fall. There is a crispness in the air. Colors are changing from bright greens to burnt oranges and yellows. Though the days have remained beautiful and sunny, I've awoken the past two nights from slumber to the sound of rain - a sound I haven't heard for months.

With the transition from tank tops to sweaters also comes the ripening of fall crops: apples, squashes, cruciferous veggies. One of my personal favorites that is available here year-round, but seems to fit into fall fare best is butternut squash.

Our friends Todd & Rachael came over for dinner last night: as expected, it was an evening filled with great food, some amazing wines, and entertaining conversation. I spent the day planning and making our meal, selecting butternut squash for the main course and incorporating apples, sage, and goat cheese to tie us from one dish to the next. For me, this meal marked our culinary transition into autumn. Here's what we ate:

• humboldt fog chevre with dried plums, roasted nuts, and crackers
• prosciutto-wrapped figs with goat cheese (recipe coming soon)
• caramelized apple, sage, and goat cheese salad
• butternut squash lasagna (recipe follows)
• apple doughnuts (recipe coming soon)

I had been considering the idea of butternut squash lasagna for some time. My basic idea was to transform squash risotto into lasagna form, including lasagna staples like ricotta and mozzarella. The resulting dish was tremendous: flavorful without being too rich, filling without being too heavy, full of cheesy, butternut squash and sagey goodness. I am already looking forward to eating the leftovers for dinner tonight. Here's what I did:

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Serves 6-8

1 medium butternut squash

9 lasagna noodles

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. white pepper

15 oz. whole milk ricotta

1/2 c. heavy cream

2 large egg yolks

4 c. fresh mozzarella, grated

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/3 c. fresh sage, roughly chopped

1 c. mushroom stock

3 oz. fresh parmesan, shaved

Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Brush with olive oil and place cut-side down in glass baking dish. Roast in 400-degree oven until soft, about 60 minutes.

Cook lasagna noodles according to directions. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Add ricotta, cream, egg yolks, and 2 c. mozzarella. Mix to incorporate. Set aside.

In the same pan used to cook onions, melt butter over medium heat. Add sage leaves. Cook until sage is light gold and begins to crisp, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Scoop flesh of roasted squash into the same large bowl. Add broth. Stir to combine.

Spread 1 c. of the ricotta mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish. Cover with a layer of noodles. Top noodles with 1/2 squash mixture, then another cup of ricotta mixture. Repeat. Top final noodle layer with remaining ricotta mixture, remaining 2 c. mozzarella, and parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake in 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

french lentil and roasted squash soup

Ah, mid winter holiday. In celebration of Washington and Lincoln's birthdays, I paid bills, unpacked from my trip to Seattle, did laundry, and cleaned out the fridge (JR apparently survived on pizza and bacon in my absence). I also thought about what to eat in the coming day and coming week.

I came across the following recipe on 101cookbooks. It initially caught my eye because I thought I had a butternut squash patiently waiting to be consumed on the counter (though when I noted its absence, JR reminded me that I already used it to make aztec squash soup last week). But by that time, I'd already read through the recipe and was hooked. It meant trying a number of things for the first time:

1. Star anise - it's a beautiful spice and it smells amazing. I was curious how this would combine with ginger to flavor the soup. How much like black licorice would it taste, exactly?

2. Fennel bulb - this veggie has only entered my kitch twice before; I have never tried cooking with it, and was excited to see what would happen.

3. French lentils - how are they different from lentil lentils? No idea. Time to find out.

It turns out that my French lentil knowledge (or rather, complete lack thereof) was tested at the grocery store. I stood, staring at the shelves of lentils and beans, unable to see anything that said "French Lentil". iPhone to the rescue. Through this informative lentil site, I learned that French Lentils are also called French Green Lentils. There were green lentils on the shelf, but no French descriptor. Upon closer reading of the site, it was confirmed that green lentils are another name for brown lentils, which are the lentils I've used in curries before, and which are not the same as French green lentils. Still no French lentils to be found.

Just as I had resolved to stop by another grocery store on my way home, I thought to take a look in the bulk foods section. Bingo! French Green Lentils. They were dark and speckled, just like my handy lentil site had pictured. I also learned how they are different from brown lentils: they remain firm after cooking and have a rich flavor.

Enough about lentils. On to the soup!

French Lentil & Roasted Squash Soup

Serves 4-6

1 butternut squash*

1 c. French green lentils, rinsed

5 1/8-inch thick rounds of fresh ginger

1 whole star anise

6 c. water

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 c. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped

red pepper flakes

*The original recipe calls for a kabocha squash. The grocery store didn't have any on hand, so I substituted butternut squash, which worked well.

Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp. Oil cut sides and place cut sides down in a baking dish. Roast in 425 degree oven 45-60 minutes, until soft. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, ginger, anise, and water. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Add sea salt.

In a large soup pot, combine olive oil, onion, leek, and fennel. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until soft, 7-10 minutes.

Remove the star anise and ginger from lentils. Add lentils (with broth) and squash to veggies. Stir well. Cook an additional 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Season with additional salt if needed and a dash of red pepper flakes.

As I approached the "put it all together" step, I became concerned that this might be a really weird soup. But weird it was not. It was flavorful and hearty and is definitely something I will make again. Ah, mid winter holiday. :-)

One year ago: garlicky kale

roasted butternut squash soup with fried leeks

I just fell in love with leeks.

I hesitate to say this, but I am afraid this particular vegetable might have remained foreign to me if it weren't for the CSA box. Before that, I'm not even sure I could have correctly identified a leek. And even with their semi-regular appearance in the weekly box, I feel like I haven't done much inspiring with them. Mashed potatoes with leeks were good, but I just don't make mashed potatoes that often. Typically, the leeks that have found their way into my kitchen have been glorified onion replacements. Until now.

I had no idea how delicious leeks would become with one simple (albeit slightly messy) preparation. Fried leeks just became my new favorite garnish. Here, they make their cameo in cole's kitch atop a simple butternut squash soup. They would also be fantastic over salad. Or potatoes. Or [fill in the blank]. They are simply delicious. I think you could put them on top of just about anything.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Leeks

Serves 4

olive oil

1 medium butternut squash

1 leek, cleaned and sliced into 1/4" rounds (white and light green parts only)

2 c. vegetable broth

1/4-1/2 c. cream or milk

pinch of nutmeg

white pepper

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 Tbs. arrowroot powder

Carefully cut butternut squash in half length-wise. Scoop out seeds. Brush with olive oil and place, cut side down, in a glass baking dish. Roast in 400 degree oven 60-75 minutes, until soft. Allow to cool. Scoop flesh out of skin and set aside.

Separate the layers of the leek from the cut rounds. Set a handful or two aside in a small bowl (these will be fried into the garnish). Chop remaining leek.

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks begin to brown (about 5 minutes). Add vegetable broth to pot, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to low. Add squash. Puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender.

Add cream, nutmeg, and white pepper to soup, stirring until well mixed. Add water or additional vegetable broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Increase heat slightly and stir and cook until heated through.

Dust leek rounds with arrowroot powder, stirring to distribute. Heat vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat until hot. Add leeks (carefully - hot oil burns!). Fry leeks until browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove with fork or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with fried leeks. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg and white pepper if desired.

squash risotto

I have never made risotto before. There, I said it. Can I be trusted as a culinary expert? Certainly not (but luckily, I never claimed I could, so really this shouldn't dent my reputation in the kitch). Rather, I should say I never made risotto before last night. But then I did. And it was SO GOOD (yes, all caps inspiring). I had no idea risotto could be that good. Makes you want to keep reading, right?

As many of my ideas for what to make do, it all started with a single ingredient. (Robyn was poking fun at me earlier in the week for the way my white button mushrooms last week somehow turned into filet mignon. What can I say? That's how it happened.) This time, it all started with the squash.

"Winter squash" is what it was called on the weekly newsletter that came in the CSA box. Hm. It looked like this:

A quick search on my new favorite squash website (what would any of us do without Google?) taught me that this is carnival squash. "The delicious yellow meat is reminiscent of sweet potatoes and butternut squash and can be baked or steamed then combined with butter and fresh herbs." Perfect! Last weekend, on my birthday trip to Monterey, JR and I ate at a fantastic restaurant. One of the items on the menu was a butternut squash risotto, which I thought sounded interesting, but I couldn't pass up the seafood entrees, which were the restaurant's specialty. Still the thought of risotto stayed with me...

This particular recipe is based on one from Vegetarian Food for Friends, which Marika gave me for my birthday (thanks, Marika!). My twist was using the carnival squash to replace the butternut squash called for in the original recipe. It totally worked. JR's comment was that we can't really eat in restaurants anymore, because nothing matches up to the food he gets at home (awwww!). The only thing I'd do differently next time would be to use a little more sage - it tastes so perfect with the squash! Here's what I did:

Squash Risotto

Serves 4

1 squash (the original recipe calls for butternut, but as mentioned, I used a carnival squash and it turned out great)

olive oil

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

a handful of fresh oregano leaves, chopped finely

10 sage leaves (if I were to do it again, I'd use maybe 15)

1 1/4 c. arborio rice

5 c. hot vegetable stock (I used mushroom stock)

3/4 c. white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

1 tsp. lemon juice

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

marscapone cheese

Roast the squash. Cut in half, scoop out the seeds, brush the cut half with oil and place cut side down in a baking dish. The carnival squash took about 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven. If you're using butternut squash, you'll probably need an hour or so. In either case, roast until it's soft and the flesh can be scooped out easily with a spoon. Once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh into a bowl and set aside.

Put the butter, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook gently for 2 minutes, then add oregano, sage, and rice. Let the rice absorb the buttery juices, then stir in a ladle of the hot stock. Wait until the stock has been absorbed, then add the wine and the rest of the stock, one ladle at a time, making sure it has been completely absorbed between each addition (you'll be stirring pretty constantly between the additions). Stir in the squash, mashing it with the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.

Top with a generous spoonful of marscapone.

Yum. Yum. Yum. That's all I have to say right now.

...and more squash

Yes, my squash obsession is still going strong. I've been thinking about this recipe since I made the aztec squash soup last week. Repeat after me: butternut squash mac & cheese. It sounds strange. It's amazing.

Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Makes about 6 servings

olive oil

1 medium butternut squash

12 oz. macaroni noodles*

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1 Tbsp. flour*

1 cup milk

12 oz. sharp cheddar, grated

Roast the butternut squash: cut in half, seed, rub cut side with olive oil, and place, cut side down in a baking dish. Bake in 400 degree oven for 60-75 minutes, or until soft. Once cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out into a large bowl. Mash the squash with the backside of a spoon.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cook macaroni on stovetop according to package. Rinse with cool water. Set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add spices and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is translucent. Add flour and mix well. Stir in milk slowly. Increase heat and continue to stir until sauce begins to boil. Reduce heat and continue stirring, allowing sauce to thicken. Add cheese and continue to stir until cheese is mixed in and fully melted.

Add sauce and noodles to bowl with squash. Mix well. Transfer to a baking dish and bake 30 minutes. This makes a pretty sizable dish. Nate and JR and I ate it last night. Marika and I will be eating the leftovers tonight (a cheesy dish to accompany our cheesy Bachelor viewing).

*I made our mac & cheese gluten free by using rice noodles and brown rice flour. Also we don't generally keep milk in the house, so I used soy milk. It still turned out great. You can also make the recipe vegan by substituting soy milk for the milk and in place of sharp cheddar, use 8 oz. vegan cheddar, 2 oz. vegan jack cheese and 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese.

Let me know what you think!

aztec squash soup

Can you believe that the first time a full butternut squash entered my kitchen was only a couple of months ago? (I say "full", because they've been here in pieces before - most commonly in the filling of store bought ravioli.) I had no idea how easy it is to roast a butternut squash. But I've learned! It's one of the many things California has taught me, I guess you could say.

Today's featured recipe is Aztec Squash Soup, which I made last night (we'll be enjoying the leftovers tonight). Because the squash takes some time to roast, I did that part the night before, storing the squash in the fridge until it's use last night. I hope you like the soup as much as we do!

Aztec Squash Soup

makes a big pot of soup

olive oil

1 (1-1.5 pound) butternut squash

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 celery stalks, chopped

6 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp. cumin

1 can black beans, rinsed well

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cilantro, chopped

avocado (optional, but recommended!)

Preheat oven to 400F. Halve the butternut squash lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Rub olive oil on the cut sides. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking dish (be sure to use a dish, not a baking sheet - I made this mistake the first time I roasted a squash and ended up with squash juice all over the oven). Roast squash until tender, 60-75 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, scoop squash out into a medium bowl.

Heat olive oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, sauteing until golden (about 10 minutes). Mix in celery and 1 cup broth. Cover and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add squash, 5 cups broth, and cumin. Cover and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Using an immersion blender, puree squash soup until smooth (if you don't have an immersion blender, you can do this in batches in an upright blender). In pot, thin soup to desired consistency with additional vegetable broth. Mix in black beans, corn, red pepper, and cilantro. Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. I served our soup with sliced avocado and a handful of blue corn chips. This is one of those dishes that tastes even better the second (or third) day when the flavors have had more time to meld.