Roasted Winter Squashes with Apple and Onion Puree
A Flavorful Winter Dish with Roasted Squash and Apple Puree
BY ON
During Fall and Winter in California, we revel in squash and pumpkins any which way we can get them - roasted, pureed, in soups, pasta, shaved into salads, etc. Chef Michael Williams, from restaurant Avow in Napa, blew us away with quite possibly the perfect squash dish. Mike keeps the dished balanced and seasonal with the addition of apples, pomegranates and hazelnuts.
Ingredients
3 small butternut squash - diced into 1/2 inch pieces
3 delicata squash - sliced into 1/2 inch "half-moons"
3 shallots - sliced
1 cup hazelnuts - crushed
2 bunches of Sage
1 pomegranate's worth of seeds
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons Cobram Estate Classic EVOO
Pinecone bud syrup (sub maple or local honey)
Sea Salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
2 Fuji apples - thinly sliced
2 Granny Smith apples - thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion - thinly sliced
6 tablespoons Cobram Estate Classic EVOO
1 16oz pack of silken tofu
Serves 12-14
Prep time - 40 minutes
Cook time - 30 minutes
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
To make the puree:
In a saucepot sweat apples and onions in 3 tablespoons EVOO until translucent. This should take 10-12 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the sweat down apple and onion mixture to a blender with the tofu. Start by pulsing the blender to break up the mixture. Once the contents of the blender start to come together, turn the blender on high to puree. While the contents are spinning, slowly add a drizzle of 3 tablespoons EVOO to the blender to emulsify. Season with salt to taste. Set aside and keep warm until you're ready to serve.
To finish:
In a large skillet sweat shallots in two tablespoons EVOO for 4-6 minutes on medium heat. Add the hazelnuts and 1 bunch of rough-cut sage to the shallots and toast until aromatic. Toss in the roasted squash. At this point, check and adjust seasoning with salt one more time.
To serve, ladle the apple and onion puree into a serving bowl. Spoon the squash and hazelnut mixture on top of the apple and onion puree. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds, the remainder of the sage, torn into pieces, and a drizzle of the pine-cone bud syrup or honey.
