I woke up Monday morning awed by the dumping of snow. Are we ready for winter? My personal answer is yes. But that doesn’t mean I wanted it the first week in October! I am from the South– so fall and winter are new to me. In southern Louisiana, it is just hot, humid, or both.
I have been here for 3-plus years and am still awed by the colors and beauty of fall. As I look out the window right now, I secretly want it to snow until April.
Regardless of what the Weather Gods decide, our grocery stores are still stocked with fall veg, and we should take advantage before they are gone. Right now, we are ending the season for most fresh herbs and fruits (grapes, melons and berries), and those beautiful heirloom tomatoes are going to stop being so juicy, so grab them now! We still have time to enjoy fresh apples and pears, broccoli and cabbage, carrots, eggplants and squash.
I am drawn to squash in the fall. I walk into the store and see only the beautiful colors of winter squash—their reds, greens and golden-yellows reflect the leaves out my office window. I always wondered what to do with all those winter squashes (Louisiana had only yellow summer squash—all year long) so I set out to make a Winter Squash Soup. In doing so, I grabbed some butternut and acorn squash, accomplished my soup goal, and delved into another wonderfully yummy recipe of squash ‘ravioli’.
Morroccan-Spiced Butternut Squash Soup
I LOVE this soup. The spices are wonderful – and it has always been a big hit. I am pretty sure I got this original recipe from Self Magazine
1 bigger butternut squash (halved and seeded)
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled (I double this, of course)
1 piece fresh gingerroot (1/4” thick, peeled and cut in half)
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Heat oven to 400. Rub squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt (I use zats and a bit of extra garlic powder – be careful with Tony’s and garlic salt – LOTS of salt). Place flesh down in roasting pan over garlic glove and pieces of ginger. Roast for 45 minutes until tender. Scrape flesh, garlic, and ginger into food processer. Add broth, spices, I cup water, and process until smooth. Add more water here if necessary. Pour into a saucepan and stire in cream. Heat gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Serves 6.
Click next for the yummy squash ravioli . . .
Roasted Acorn Squash and Sage "Ravioli" with Gorgonzola Sauce
This is a really yummy (and healthy!) recipe that I found in Self Magazine back in ’02-ish. The gorgonzola sauce is AWESOME as a dip or topping grilled chicken! Makes 4 servings
1 acorn squash (about 2 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon butter, divided
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons minced shallot
1 tablespoon minced fresh sage
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
24 three-inch round egg-roll wrappers
Sauce
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese
1/2 cup 1 percent low-fat milk
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons champagne wine vinegar
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub flesh of squash with 1 teaspoon butter; sprinkle with salt. Place flesh side down on baking sheet; bake 45 minutes, or until tender. Using a large spoon, scoop flesh into a bowl. Meanwhile in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, saute shallot and sage in remaining butter until golden brown. Fold in squash and nutmeg and cook and stir until all liquid has evaporated; let cool. Place a teaspoon of filling into the middle of an egg roll wrapper; moisten edges lightly with water. Top with another wrapper, shape around the filling, slightly pleating the top wrapper and squeezing out any excess air. Press firmly around edges to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
Puree sauce ingredients until smooth. In saucepan over low heat, heat sauce until hot but not bubbling, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile bring a large sauce-pan filled with salted water to a boil. Cook ravioli 2 minutes, or until edges are al dente. Drain and toss with sauce. yum!
