Monday, January 4, 2010

Meatless Monday: "Bruleed" Delicata Squash with Basil, Pepitos & Capricho de Cabra (Spanish Goat Cheese)



Divas, I'm back!

Back to LA that is!

And back to full-time blogging!

This is going to be a big year for Domestic Divas, and I've got a lot of great surprises in the works, so stay tuned!

I'm starting this Monday off with a bang of a recipe!  I conceptualized this squash first to pair with a homemade whole grain spelt goat cheese ravioli I made for Christmas Eve diner, and then I honed it as a standalone dish. 

For this recipe, I used organic delicata squash, which are peaking in season right now.  I halved, seeded and thinly chopped them, with the skin on, and then gently roasted them in the oven.  Once they were tender, I spinkled them with brown sugar and cranked up the heat to "brulee" them. To finish the dish, I topped the squash slices with fragrant basil, nutty, toasted pepitos (pumpkin seeds), which add texture and flavor, and crumbled Capricho de Cabra, a high fat, creamy Spanish goat cheese similar to chevre, to add contrast to the sweet squash.

Holy cow!  

This "meatless" dish packs a huge punch!  It's rich and creamy and sweet and sour with nice bursts of pepito crunch.  I served it to Kuzak's clan, along with my Chicken Sausage Ragu, and everyone loved the dish.  A revelation for many was that the skin of these squash are edible and actually tasted delicious.



"Bruleed" Delicata Squash with Basil, Pepitos & Capricho de Cabra
Serves 6-8 people

3 delicata squashes, halved & seeded
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp basil, cut into long, thin strips (chiffonade)
1/4 cup pepitos (pumpkin seeds), roasted & salted
1/4 cup capricho de cabra or chevre
salt & pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

To make the squash, cut the halves into slices (they'll be semi-circles) and place in a single layer in oven proof dishes.  Brush with olive oil and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Fill the dishes with about 1/4 inch of water (shouldn't cover the squash).  Place in the oven and roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until the squash are tender.



To "brulee" them, remove the squash from the oven and set the oven temperature to broil.  Sprinkle the tops of the squash slices with brown sugar.  Place under the broiler until the sugar melts and caramelizes.

To plate, layer the squash in a serving dish.  Sprinkle with the pepitos.  Then, crumble the goat cheese on top (hint: place in the freezer for a few minutes first for easy crumbling).  Top with the chiffonade basil and some fresh cracked pepper.  Enjoy!



Source for Ingredients:

organic delicata squash, organic extra virgin olive oil, pepitos & capricho de cabra from Whole Foods (Boca Raton, FL)

fresh basil from Shelley B.'s herb garden

2 comments:

  1. Looks great! I love the addition of the goat cheese. Thanks for sharing your recipe with me. I am SUCH a fan of the Delicata's.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Me, too! Love them!

    Thanks so much for checking it out - I love your blog!

    xo
    Jen

    ReplyDelete