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Explore Recipes Entrees Page 38

Squash with Chili, Yogurt, and Cilantro Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Butternut squash is one of the delights of colder weather. This recipe, with its tangy, herbaceous flavors and beautiful colors, will become a “keeper.” And maybe a holiday tradition.

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 ounces cilantro leaves and stems, plus extra leaves for garnish
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
  • 1 cup Greek-style yogurt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sriracha, or your favorite hot sauce
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425ºF.

Step 2

Wash the squash skin well, cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds, and then cut into wedges 3/4-inch wide and about 2 3/4-inches long, leaving the skin on. Place in a large bowl with the cinnamon, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a good grind of pepper. Mix well so that the squash is evenly coated.

Step 3

Place the squash, skin side down if possible, on 2 rimmed baking sheets and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until soft and starting to color on top. (If they topple over and don’t stay skin side down, don’t worry.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Step 4

To make the herb paste, place the cilantro, garlic, the remaining 4 tablespoons of oil, and a generous pinch of salt in the bowl of a small food processor, blitz to form a ne paste, and set aside. (If you don’t have a small food processor, a mortar and pestle will work, or consider doubling the amounts to make in a large food processor and save any extra sauce for other uses.)

Step 5

Reduce the oven temperature to 350ºF. Spread the pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes. The outer skin will pop open and the seeds will become light and crispy. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Step 6

When you are ready to serve, swirl together the yogurt and sriracha sauce. (Yogurt’s thickness varies, so adjust the consistency to your liking with a splash of olive oil or water.) Lay the squash wedges on a platter and dollop or drizzle the spicy yogurt sauce and then the herb paste over the top (you can also swirl the yogurt sauce and herb paste together, if you like). Scatter the pumpkin seeds on top, followed by the extra cilantro leaves, and serve.

Serves 4 — Recipe from Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi by Ottam Ottolenghi (Ten Speed Press 2014)

Calabrian Pumpkin Soup

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Simple but sublime is the pumpkin soup my Merry Band of Tasters and I were served when visiting the Librandi family, one of Calabria’s outstanding olive oil producers. “Mama” Librandi shared the recipe with me.

Ingredients

  • 1 3-pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, with seeds and membranes removed 
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons water 
  • Sea salt
  • Croutons for garnish (see the “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” below) 

Directions

Step 1

Using a sturdy knife, cut the pumpkin or butternut squash into roughly 1.5” cubes. Do the same with the potatoes.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, combine the pumpkin, potatoes, the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and the water. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender—50 to 60 minutes.

Step 3

Transfer to a blender jar and purée until smooth (don’t fill the blender more than half full—work in batches if necessary). Salt to taste.

Step 4

Divide the soup between warmed soup bowls. Drizzle generously with additional olive oil, and garnish with croutons. 

Yields 6 appetizer or 4 main course servings

Cheesy Smashed Potatoes with Mojo Colorado

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Mojo colorado is a classic red chile sauce from Spain’s Canary Islands. Great on smashed potatoes, it’s also wonderful as an accompaniment to anything you cook on the grill—meat, fish, or veggies.

Ingredients

For the mojo colorado:

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons pimentón
  • 1 small, fresh, hot red chile, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 cup water

For the potatoes:

  • 8 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, skin on
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • Coarse kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely grated Manchego cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon pimentón

Directions

Step 1

Make the mojo colorado: Char the bell pepper over a gas burner or under a broiler until it is blackened and blistered on all sides. Peel, stem, seed, and tear it into several pieces. Place in a blender jar with the other sauce ingredients, and blend until smooth. Add more salt if needed or water to thin. Set aside.

Step 2

Bake the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 375°F. (If you used your broiler to roast the pepper, let the oven cool to 375° before continuing the recipe.) Use 1 tablespoon of olive oil to coat a baking dish large enough to accommodate the potatoes. Bake the potatoes until they are soft when pierced with a knife or a bamboo skewer, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven and gently smash each potato with the back of a large spoon. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then season with salt. Top with the grated Manchego cheese and dust with pimentón. Return to the oven for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Drizzle with the mojo colorado before serving.

Yields 4 to 6 side-dish servings.

Garden Pasta Alla Hermes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My Merry Band of Tasters and I were treated to this recipe at the Di Mercurio family’s farm in Italy after an olive harvest, and master miller Duccio Morozzo and I liked it so much we decided to recreate it back in his Roman kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1/2 small eggplant, stemmed, peeled, and diced
  • 1/2 small zucchini, stemmed and diced
  • 1 small red onion, peeled and diced
  • Coarse sea salt
  • 8 ounces dry rigatoni
  • 3 cups tomato purée or crushed tomatoes
  • Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving
  • Crushed red pepper flakes for serving
  • Basil leaves for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Pour the 1/4 cup of olive oil into a cold saucepan. Add the bell pepper, eggplant, zucchini, onion, and a pinch or two of salt. Sauté the vegetables until they’re soft and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente according to the package directions.

Step 2

Stir the tomato purée into the vegetables and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Purée the sauce with a stick blender until it’s fairly smooth. Season with additional salt, if desired. Drain the rigatoni and add to the sauce. Gently stir to combine. Transfer to a warmed shallow bowl and serve with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, red pepper flakes, and extra olive oil for drizzling. Garnish with basil as desired.

Yields 4 lunch or 2 dinner servings.