Butternut Squash Purée With Currants Almonds Recipes

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, PECANS AND CURRANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cut the squash in two at the base of the neck, discarding the hollow bulb end or reserving for another use. Peel the rest and slice into 1/2-inch disks. Toss the squash in a large roasting pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, thyme and salt and pepper to taste, and arrange in a single layer. Roast the squash, turning once halfway through, until tender and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, combine garlic and one tablespoon of the remaining olive oil. Sauté until fragrant and tender, about one minute. Add pecans and sugar, and toss until the sugar has melted and the pecans are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk the vinegar into the remaining olive oil. Add the pecan mixture, currants and chili flakes. Mix well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Arrange the squash on a warm platter and top with some or all of the dressing.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place squash on a baking sheet, flesh-side up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender and slightly brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool until easily handled.
• Scoop flesh into a food processor; pulse until smooth. Add chicken stock, 1/4 cup at a time, while continuing to pulse, until smooth. Season puree with salt and pepper.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH CRANBERRIES AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Bring chicken stock, butternut squash, red onion, and cranberries to a boil in a saucepan, reduce heat to low, and simmer until squash is tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes. Drain.
• Heat butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Gently stir butternut squash mixture into hot butter and oil; sprinkle with brown sugar. Gently flip vegetables when browned, about 5 minutes per side. Sprinkle with almonds, Parmesan cheese, and salt.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PURéE WITH CURRANTS & ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Halve the squashes lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove all the seeds; discard the seeds. Place squashes cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ tablespoon salt; then turn squashes over and rub the other side with another tablespoon olive oil and ½ tablespoon salt. With the squashes placed cut side down, roast until they are easily pierced with a sharp knife, 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.
• While the squash is roasting, combine currants and wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, 1-2 minutes. Reduce to heat low and simmer, 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let currants soak, 30 minutes.
• Use a paring knife to peel the onion and garlic. (Alternatively, smash the garlic with a larger chef's knife to remove the peel.) Remove the root end of the onion; then thinly slice the onion and garlic cloves, and place into a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt. Turn heat to high and begin sautéing the vegetables, stirring often, 1-2 minutes. Then turn heat to low and continue sautéing, low and slow, until the vegetables are very soft, 10-15 minutes.
• When squashes are tender and the skin is lightly brown, remove from oven. (Note: If you're roasting different sized squashes, the smaller ones will cook faster and may need to be removed sooner.) Check for doneness by piercing the flesh with a knife in the meatiest part of each squash. If there's no resistance, the squash is done. Set aside until they are cool enough to handle, 15-20 minutes.
• Roughly chop almonds and set aside in a bowl. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the shell and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion, garlic, and oil from the pot to the food processor. Pulse a few times, then purée until smooth. Transfer the purée back into the pot that the onions and garlic were cooked in. (Tip: Clean the blade of the food processor by pouring out the purée, pulsing once, then removing the blade. Scrape any remaining purée into the pot.)
• Warm the squash purée over medium-high heat. Add almonds and pumpkin seeds. Thoroughly drain the currants (discard the wine), then add to the purée and stir to combine. When purée is hot, stir in the vinegar. Taste, and add more salt as necessary. Serve.

WILD RICE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STUFFING WITH ALMONDS

Steps:

• Cook the wild rice in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 1 hour. Meanwhile: preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash with the olive oil on a heavy large baking sheet. Sprinkle the squash with salt and roast until the squash is just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Stir the squash. Scatter the shallots over the squash and cook until shallots and squash are browned and tender, about 15 minutes longer. Transfer the squash mixture to a large serving bowl and keep warm. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the brown rice and saute until heated through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the rice to the bowl with the squash mixture. Drain the wild rice and add to the bowl along with the almonds, currants and parsley and toss gently to combine. Season the stuffing to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CARROT PURéE WITH MAPLE SYRUP

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter. Add carrots and sauté until coated with butter, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add squash and sauté until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Pour orange juice over vegetables. Cover and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes. Uncover and simmer until all liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Stir in maple syrup. Cool slightly. Working in batches, puree mixture in processor until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Stir over medium heat to rewarm.)

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place squash in a large shallow baking dish. Drizzle with butter, and toss to coat. Cover with parchment-lined foil. Transfer to oven, and cook until tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, clean seeds and transfer to a small baking sheet; bake until dried out. When dried, cook in 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and let stand until cool.
• Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender, puree squash until smooth. Stir in honey, salt, and nutmeg. Transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with roasted seeds.