Get Cooking_ 150 Simple Recipes to Get You Started in the Kitchen - Mollie Katzen [94]
This recipe is vegan.
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium red or yellow onions, thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic (1 good-sized clove)
1½ pounds summer squash, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices or ½-inch cubes
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a large (10-to 12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. After about a minute, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onions and half of the salt. Cook, stirring often, for about 10 minutes, or until the onions become very tender and lightly golden. During the last minute or so of cooking, stir in the garlic. Then transfer the mixture to a serving bowl that will be large enough to hold the squash as well, and set aside.
2. Without cleaning it, return the pan to the heat and add another tablespoon of olive oil, swirling once again to coat the pan. Add as much of the squash as will fit in a single layer, and cook without stirring for 1 to 2 minutes, or until very golden on the bottom.
3. Use a thin-bladed metal spatula to carefully loosen each piece and flip it over. Let it cook, undisturbed, on the second side for 1 to 2 minutes, until deeply golden brown on the bottom.
4. Loosen the pieces with the spatula again, and add them to the bowl holding the onion mixture.
5. Repeat the browning process with the remaining squash, adding more oil as needed, in as many batches as necessary.
6. When all of the squash has been cooked, toss it gently with the onions. (Try not to break the squash any more than necessary, but don’t fret if you do.) Season with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and a good amount of black pepper. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
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GET CREATIVE
Add ½ teaspoon dried thyme to the onions, or sprinkle the finished dish with 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme (or minced parsley, or snipped chives).
Scatter 3 tablespoons minced fresh mint over the finished dish.
Drizzle a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar over each batch of squash in the pan, just before you transfer it to the bowl. Or drizzle a few teaspoons of pomegranate molasses (see Get Cooking) over the finished dish.
Sprinkle up to ¼ cup lightly toasted pine nuts over the squash mixture just before serving.
Add up to ½ cup crumbled feta or goat cheese when you stir the onions and squash together.
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winter squash au naturel
Makes 4 servings
Eager to get you acquainted with winter squash (see “Squash for All Seasons,” Chapter 7: Sides), I’ve decided to keep it very basic here. You’ll simply roast it cut in half, and serve it that way. You can mash it with a fork directly in the skin, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper, maybe melt in a little butter. But start plain and see how you like it (and also see how the particular squash in front of you tastes—the sweetness can vary, depending on growing and harvesting conditions). Believe it or not, the only tricky part about preparing winter squash is cutting it. The combination of its very hard skin and its round shape makes it a knife challenge, so proceed slowly and carefully. (Safest technique: Insert the point of a good sharp knife first, and use a gentle sawing motion to initiate the cutting.) Once you’ve split the squash, use scissors to cut loose the strands of pulp around the seeds, and then scrape the seeds away with a spoon. Discard the seeds or reserve them to toast—see Chapter 1: Soups).
Figure on about ½ pound of squash per serving, and plan accordingly. Ideally, you will find a 1-pound acorn squash for every two servings, or a 2-pound butternut that you can quarter for serving four.
This recipe is vegan.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds winter squash (acorn, butternut, or delicata)
1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking tray with foil, and pour on the olive oil. Use your fingers to distribute the oil so that it coats the area where you’ll put the squash.