Squash Toast

December 2, 2022 by Molly Baz Leave a Comment

Squash Toast

SERVES: 2

This is fall's answer to the beloved tomato toast. Tomatoes get subbed out for a more seasonally appropriate vegetable– squash, which when caramelized and glazed in a sticky, spicy apple cider vinegar and butter sauce, really and truly shines bright. Any kind of winter squash will work, just know that some varieties must be peeled first–Delicata is an exception.

Active Time: 15 Mins

Total Time: 15 mins

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Produce

½ large Delicata Squash
½ Fresno chili or ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
5 garlic cloves
1 sprig thyme

Pantry

Extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
2 1” thick slices sourdough bread
3 tablespoon cold butter

Dairy

½ cup labneh or whole milk yogurt

1. Do some prep:

Slice ½ large Decliata squash crosswise into ⅓” thick rings–you’ll need about 8 rings total so use as much of the squash as you need. Don’t bother picking out the seeds, they’ll either fall off or get crispy as we cook the squash.
Thinly slice ½ Fresno chili crosswise–if you like things really spicy, slice the whole thing.
Smash and peel 5 garlic cloves.

2. Cook the squash:

Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the squash in a single layer, season the tops with salt and cook until caramelized underneath, 2-3 minutes. Flip the squash, season the second side and cook until caramelized on second side as well.
Add ¼ cup water, ½ cup apple cider vinegar (careful- it will bubble vigorously!), 1 tablespoon honey, 3 tablespoons cold butter, 1 tablespoon mustard seeds, 4 smashed garlic cloves (reserving one for the toast), 1 sprig of thyme. Reduce to medium/medium low to maintain a simmer and cook until it has reduced substantially and is thick and viscous. If you over-reduce the sauce and it starts to look split and oily, no worries, just add a splash or two of water and shake the pan vigorously to re-emulsify the sauce. Remove from heat.
Taste and re-season with salt if needed.

3. Assemble:

Preheat the broiler. Place two 1” thick slices sourdough bread under the broiler, and toast on both sides, until well toasted.
Rub the tops of both slices with the remaining raw garlic clove, drizzle with olive oil and season the toasts with salt. Cut the toasts in half crosswise.
Shmear a big dollop of labneh or yogurt on each piece. Top with a few pieces of squash, and spoon the pan sauce over them. Season with flaky salt and serve!

Filed Under: So. Many. Veggies, Snack Attack

Leftovers Pot Pie with Greens and Corn Pudding

November 25, 2022 by Molly Baz 2 Comments

Leftovers Pot Pie with Greens and Corn Pudding

SERVES: 6-8

This pot pie will work with any leftover cooked meat, OR you could double the veg and leave it vegetarian. The whole point of this dish is the “crust” anyway–a cheesy, greens-flecked corn pudding topper in place of the more traditional pie crust or puff pastry.

Active Time: 30 Mins

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

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Produce

2 (10-ounce) bags frozen corn
1 large or 2 medium onions
1 large fennel bulb (about 12 ounces)
1 ¼ pounds any root vegetables (carrots, turnips, parsnips, and/or rutabaga)
6 garlic cloves
6 ounces sturdy greens (kale, collards, swiss chard)
1 bunch sage
¼ cup lemon juice

Pantry

Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¾ cup white wine
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Dairy

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing pan
3 ounces parmigiano-reggiano
4 ¼ cups milk
3 large eggs

Protein

1 pound leftover turkey or chicken meat (4 cups)

1. Do some prep:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grease a 9” x 13” pan with butter.
Defrost 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen corn and place in a colander set over a bowl or in the sink. When the corn is fully defrosted, squeeze to expel as much excess water from the kernels as possible.
Peel and chop 1 large onion. Chop 1 large fennel bulb, including any tender stalks and fronds. Peel (if necessary) and roughly chop 1 ¼ pounds of root vegetables. Peel and finely chop 6 cloves garlic.
Destem 6-ounces sturdy greens. Discard stems and rip leaves into large pieces.
Coarsely chop enough sage to measure 3 tablespoons.
Grate 3 ounces of parmigiano-reggiano.
Tear 1 pound of leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces.

2. Make the filling:

Warm a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 5 tablespoons butter and swirl to coat. Add the chopped onions and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, until aromatics are softened and ever so slightly golden on the edges, about 6-8 minutes. Adjust heat as necessary to prevent burning.
Add the root vegetables, garlic, sage, and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and continue to saute, stirring, until root vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes more. Add ¾ cup white wine and cook until nearly evaporated, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, 3-4 minutes.
Add ⅓ cup flour and stir to coat. Cook, stirring, 1 minute more. Gradually add 4 cups of milk and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced and thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in ¼ cup lemon juice and the chicken or turkey. Season the filling to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer filling to prepared pan. Scatter the torn greens over the top of the pudding.

3. Make the corn pudding topper:

Melt 5 tablespoons butter. Add to the bowl of a blender, along with 3 eggs, 1 ¼ teaspoon salt, the remaining ¼ cup milk, and half the thawed corn. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as necessary. Add the remaining corn, 3 ounces (about ½ cup) grated parmesan cheese and pulse just once or twice to incorporate so it is still chunky. Do not overblend.
Scrape contents of blender over the greens in the pan spread to incorporate. Using a spoon, gently fold the corn mixture into the greens, so that the two components begin to combine, but still retain their own identity. That is to say, don’t overmix! Finding pockets of greens and pockets of corn custard among the more incorporated portions of the skillet is what will make for the most dynamic eating experience!

4. Bake:

Transfer pan to the oven and bake until bubbling and golden brown all around the edges, about 40-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before scooping and serving.