Butternut squash for dessert!
Butternut Squash Glazed Tart
Contributed by Grace Parisi to Food and Wine
One 1-pound neck of butternut squash—peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons sugar
8 ounces all-butter puff pastry, chilled
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons apricot preserves, melted
2 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and butter the paper. Brush the squash with the melted butter and sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the sugar. Roast for about 45 minutes, flipping the squash slices halfway through, or until softened. Let cool.
Meanwhile, roll out the pastry to a 14-by-6-inch rectangle and transfer it to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and refrigerate until firm, about 5 minutes. Top with another sheet of parchment paper and a flat cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden on the bottom but not set. Remove the top cookie sheet and parchment and bake for 10 minutes longer, until the pastry is golden and crisp. Let cool.
Blend the cream cheese with the cinnamon and the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sugar and spread it on the pastry. Arrange the squash slices on top. Brush with the apricot preserves and sprinkle with pecans. Cut into slices and serve.
Butternut squash for breakfast!
Butternut Squash and Kale Strata with Multigrain Bread
Contributed by Zoe Nathan to Food and Wine
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 pounds butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, thinly sliced, plus 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 pound kale or other cooking green, ribs discarded and leaves chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon sugar
8 large eggs
One 3/4-pound multigrain baguette, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 425° and butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 25 minutes, tossing once, until the squash is just tender. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the sliced onions, season with salt and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 25 minutes. Scrape the onions into a bowl.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the kale, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 teaspoon of the thyme and season with salt. Cook over moderately high heat, tossing, until the kale is wilted and just tender, about 5 minutes. Scrape the kale into the bowl with the cooked onions.
In a medium saucepan, melt the 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Add the chopped onion and the remaining 1 teaspoon of thyme and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, until a light golden paste forms, 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the milk and cook, whisking, until very thick and no floury taste remains, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cream, crème fraîche, sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of milk. Let the béchamel cool.
Beat the eggs into the cooled béchamel in the saucepan. Pour into a bowl, add the bread and the vegetables and mix well. Pour the strata mixture into the prepared baking dish and let stand for 30 minutes, pressing down the bread occasionally.
Bake the strata for 55 minutes to 1 hour, until almost set. Increase the oven temperature to 475°. Sprinkle the Parmigiano on the strata and bake for about 10 minutes more, until the top is lightly browned. Let the strata stand for 15 minutes before serving.
Make Ahead The recipe can be prepared through Step 5 and refrigerated overnight.
