Linguine With Butternut Squash Spinach And Mussels Recipes

CURRIED MUSSELS WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the squash and leeks and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks start softening, about 3 minutes.
• Add the curry powder, ginger and lime zest and stir to coat. Reduce the heat to medium low and add 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the squash is almost tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the heavy cream to the pot, then stir in the mussels. Increase the heat to medium, cover and simmer until the mussels open, 5 to 6 minutes. (Discard any unopened mussels.) Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve with the bread.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND MUSSEL SOUP

Steps:

• The first thing you have to do is clean the mussels. Put them in a colander and rinse them under cold running water to remove any sand and grit. Mussels often have little threads that look like seaweed hanging off them called beards. Rip them off. The mussels should be closed; discard any that are open.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and chile pepper and cook for a minute. Add the mussels, wine, and salt and pepper to taste and stir together. Bring to a simmer and cover with a lid, allowing the mussels to steam open, which should take about 5 minutes. Cook until all of the mussels are fully opened. Discard any unopened mussels. Let this cool down a bit. Remove and discard the garlic. When the mussels are cool enough to handle, shell them and discard the shells. Put the mussels in their broth and set aside.
• In another large saucepan, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, butternut squash, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the onion gets slightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add the pasta and mix together. Add 3 cups water, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the pasta is done and the squash is fork-tender, about 12 minutes. Eyeball it here: If your ingredients need to cook longer and you need more liquid, add more water. If you want to give the soup a creamier consistency, mash half of the squash with the back of a fork.
• Add the mussels and broth to the squash and pasta mixture; let it simmer for about 5 minutes to combine the flavors. Remove from the heat and add the Parmigiano before serving. Top with the parsley.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CARAMELIZED ONION AND SPINACH LASAGNA

Steps:

• Roast the butternut squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place in roasting pan and drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place in oven and cook until soft all the way through, about 1 hour. Set aside until cool. When cooled, remove skin and place in food processor. Purée until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set aside.
• To caramelize the onions: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in sauté pan. Heat until hot but not smoking; add onions. Toss to coat with oil. Turn heat down to medium and cook until onions are soft and browned, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Prepare a ricotta cheese mixture. Mix ricotta cheese, chopped rosemary, eggs, half the grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Make a spinach Mornay sauce. Melt butter in a saucepan, add flour and stir. Cook 2 minutes. Add milk and stir until it comes to a boil. Add the rest of the grated Parmesan, the nutmeg and the defrosted spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Assemble the dish. Spray a 9" x 13" pan with cooking spray. Spread 1 cup of the spinach sauce on the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of fresh pasta sheets. Spread half of the roasted butternut squash on top of the pasta sheets. Top with another layer of pasta sheets. Spread ricotta cheese mixture on top of pasta sheets, and spread caramelized onion on top of ricotta mixture. Cover with an additional layer of pasta sheets. Top with the other half of the butternut purée and then another layer of pasta. Finish by using the rest of the spinach Mornay sauce for the top layer. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes more.

LINGUINE WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta. Meanwhile, combine the garlic and red pepper flakes with the oil in a large bowl. When the pasta is nearly done, plunge the spinach into the water and cook until it wilts - less than a minutes. Drain pasta and spinach together quickly, then toss into the olive oil mixture. Add the tomatoes and pine nuts. Toss well, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with an ample topping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
• Makes 4 to 6 servings.