Butternut Squash with Cilantro
Serves 8
2/3 cup dried cranberries
6 Tbsps. olive oil
3 Tbsps. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. lime zest
3 1/2-pound butternut squash or sweet potatoes peeled, deseeded and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsps. ground coriander
1 1/2 tsps. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a small saucepan, bring the cranberries, 2 tbsp. oil, the lime juice, sugar and 1/4 cup water to a boil. Add the zest, cover and remove from heat.
In a large bowl, combine the squash, coriander, cumin and remaining 4 tbsp. oil. Season; toss to coat the squash. Spread on a large foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until tender when poked with a fork. Pour the cranberry mixture over the potatoes; toss to coat. Continue roasting until the squash is tender, about 15 minutes. Season; toss with the cilantro.
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
6 rosemary sprigs, plus 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsps. lemon zest
In a large pot, combine the potatoes and rosemary sprigs. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the rosemary. Drain the potatoes, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water. Reduce the heat to low. Return the potatoes to the pot and toss 1 to 2 minutes to thoroughly dry.
In a small skillet, heat 1 tsp. chopped rosemary and 1 tbsp. oil over medium, swirling the skillet occasionally, until the rosemary is crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl, mash the potatoes. Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup oil and enough reserved cooking water to make the mixture smooth. Mix in the lemon zest; season. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle with the rosemary oil.
Swiss Chard Gratin
3 large bunches Swiss chard, leaves and stems separated and chopped
2 Tbsps. butter
1 large shallot, chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1 pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg
1 cup (4 oz.) grated Havarti or Muenster cheese
1 1/2 cups torn white bread (with crust)
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the chard stems until crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Add the leaves; cook until wilted, 5 to 10 seconds. Drain; let cool. Squeeze out excess liquid; transfer to a shallow 2-qt. baking dish, separating clumps.
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 tbsp. butter over medium. Add the shallot; cook, stirring, until soft, 2 minutes. Add the cream and nutmeg; stir until mixture starts to boil. Add all but 2 tbsp. cheese. Stir until melted; pour over the chard.
In a saucepan, melt the remaining 1 1/2 Tbsps. butter. In a bowl, toss the bread and butter; season. Scatter the bread and remaining cheese over the chard. Bake 20 minutes.
Kale Salad with Chutney Dressing
1/2 cup sunflower oil
1/4 cup mango chutney
2 Tbsps. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
3 bunches kale, stems discarded and leaves chopped (about 16 cups)
2 cups cups mixed chopped dried fruit (such as raisins, cranberries and apricots)
3 Tbsps. toasted sunflower seeds
In a blender, puree the oil, chutney, lemon juice and garlic until smooth; season.
In a large bowl, toss the kale and dried fruit. Toss with the dressing and season. Just before serving, garnish the salad with the sunflower seeds.
Make-ahead tip: I like to chop up the kale the day before and toss it with lemon juice and garlic and let it sit overnight. It makes the kale more tender and able to soak up flavors.
Onion & Gremolata Green Beans
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
1 large red onion, cut into thin wedges with some core still attached
3 Tbsps. olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 orange
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the green beans and onion wedges with the olive oil; season. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are tender and browned in spots, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, zest half the orange, then cut the orange in half. In a small bowl, mix the zest, garlic and herbs to make the gremolata.
Transfer the vegetables to a large platter. Squeeze the juice from one orange half over the vegetables. Sprinkle with the gremolata.
Recipes from RachelRaymag.com
