Dish makes the most of squash
Squash is at its best now, and this recipe lets you take advantage of it. Consider the casserole a convenience food because you can make it ahead of time and bake when needed.
Aimée Wimbush-Bourque, Montreal family cook, has included it as one of more than 100 recipes in The Simple Bites Kitchen. The casserole flavours harmonize with various meats, including turkey, making it a good candidate for Christmas dinner.
Wimbush-Bourque, who blogs at Simple Bites, makes a persuasive case in this, her second cookbook, for spending lots of time in the kitchen with children, introducing them to the pleasures of cooking.
It’s a user-friendly book, beautifully illustrated by photographers Tim and Angela Chin.
Vegetable combinations are particularly imaginative. Other examples include: spinach lasagna stuffed peppers, root vegetable cider stew, roasted tomato and lentil soup.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH CASSEROLE WITH APPLE AND LEEK
Serves: 6
2 lb (1 kg) butternut squash 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil
1 large leek, white and pale green parts only
2 tbsp (30 mL) ghee (see note) or unsalted butter
1 green apple
1 large egg
1 cup (250 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) panko crumbs 3 tbsp (45 mL) mayonnaise 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sea salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly grated nutmeg or pinch dried
1. Peel and cut squash into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes (about 4 heaping cups/1.25 L). Place in a large pot, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes or until just fork-tender. Drain and cool.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 3-quart (3 L) baking dish with the oil.
3. Slice leek lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces.
4. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt ghee or butter and stir in leeks. Partially cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until soft but not brown, about eight minutes. Slice apple, peel on, into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes and add to the leeks. Cook for two minutes, then remove from heat and cool.
5. In a large bowl, beat together the egg, 3/4 cup (180 mL) of the cheese, 1/4 cup (60 mL) of the panko crumbs, the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Gently fold in the squash cubes and the leek-apple mixture. Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish.
6. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) cheese and 1/4 cup (60 mL) crumbs. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake in preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden. Serve hot.
Note: A recipe for making ghee is included in the book.