Fall Harvest Salad

Fall Squash & Arugula Salad

By Mars Rubietta, Produce Keeper

This recipe was created to honour the wonderful produce we have in season in the fall, as well as be easy and adjustable to your needs. The following makes enough for two people to have a pretty hardy side salad. If you're making this as the main for one, I would make the entire recipe and consider adding lentils for extra protein.

If you find yourself thinking, "I don't have delicata, but I have butternut squash.." or, "the only nuts I have are everything seasoned from Trader Joe's...) go for it! Let your intuition guide you in this journey. These are guidelines that work well, and will make a delicious salad whether you follow them to a T or not.

Ingredients

• Arrugula

• 1/2 cup raw pecans or walnuts

• 3/4 pound delicata squash

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

• 1/2 tsp dried thyme

• 1/2 pear (I used starkrimson)

• 1/4 cup crumbly cheese (I used violife feta)

  
  

  Dressing

  • 3 Tbs olive oil

  • 1 Tbs lemon juice

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1/2 tsp honey

  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • 1/8 tsp ground pepper

Method

1.  Preheat oven to 350℉. Spread pecans on a sheet pan, and toast for 5-7 minutes, checking and stirring every two minutes. They will take on a slightly golden color and smell fragrant. Take them out, then raise oven temperature to 425℉. If your nuts are already roasted, skip that step.

2.  Prepare the squash: cut in half lengthwise & scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the halves into half-moon 1/2 inch slices. Add to a medium bowl, and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. 

3. Arrange onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper so that the pieces are not touching. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through with the fork. 

4.  While the squash is roasting, prepare the dressing by combining all ingredients in a jar and shaking vigorously, or in a small bowl whisking until well combined. Taste and adjust with salt or lemon juice to your liking. Slice the pear and crumble your cheese.

5.  Plate all your ingredients to your heart's desire. Optionally, enjoy while contemplating our gratitude for the warm weather over the summer; this transitional period; all the people that worked very hard to get this food to your plate; and/or how you felt while making this, and how you feel eating it.

Butternut Squash Soup with Miso and Coconut

Serves 6-8, perfect for leftovers throughout the week. 

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 4 ½ cups water

• 4 tbsp plus 1 tsp white miso paste

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 1-inch knob of ginger, peeled and grated

• 2 ½ tsp cumin

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper

• one 3 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

• ½ cup full-fat coconut milk

• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Directions

First, make your miso stock. Put 4 cups of water into a saucepan and heat to a simmer. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup of water together with the miso, and pour that into the saucepan. Bring to a simmer, but don't let it boil.

Pour a few tablespoons of olive oil into the bottom of a large, heavy pot. When it's hot, add the onion and sweat it until it's translucent. Stir in the ginger, cumin, and cayenne, and toast spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Deglaze with a ladle-full of your miso stock.

Add the cubed butternut squash and the salt, mixing everything to combine, and then pour in the rest of the miso stock. Simmer until the squash is completely tender, about 20 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and purée the soup in a food processor or with a hand blender, being careful of the hot liquid. At this point you can strain for a super-smooth soup, or you can leave it how it is -- up to you!

Return the puréed soup back to the pot, and stir in the coconut milk. Taste, adjust for seasoning and spice. 

Serve warm, with bread on the side.

Recipe by Natalie Bickford.