Squash Purée With Olive Oil And Lime Recipes

WINTER SQUASH PUREE WITH TAHINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. If using butternut squash, cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes, and lay cut-side down on the foil-covered baking sheet. If using a thick slice of squash, scrape off any membranes. Bake 45 minutes to one hour, or until very soft. A knife should cut through it without resistance, and the skin should be wrinkled. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then peel and transfer to a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the tahini, and puree until smooth and creamy.
• Combine the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mortar and pestle, and mash to a paste. Add to the food processor along with the lemon juice and cumin, and blend together. Add salt to taste.
• Mound the puree in a wide bowl or on a plate. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top, and garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve with warm pita bread.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH PURéE WITH CURRANTS & ALMONDS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Halve the squashes lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove all the seeds; discard the seeds. Place squashes cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ tablespoon salt; then turn squashes over and rub the other side with another tablespoon olive oil and ½ tablespoon salt. With the squashes placed cut side down, roast until they are easily pierced with a sharp knife, 30-45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients.
• While the squash is roasting, combine currants and wine in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, 1-2 minutes. Reduce to heat low and simmer, 1 more minute. Remove from heat and let currants soak, 30 minutes.
• Use a paring knife to peel the onion and garlic. (Alternatively, smash the garlic with a larger chef's knife to remove the peel.) Remove the root end of the onion; then thinly slice the onion and garlic cloves, and place into a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Add remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt. Turn heat to high and begin sautéing the vegetables, stirring often, 1-2 minutes. Then turn heat to low and continue sautéing, low and slow, until the vegetables are very soft, 10-15 minutes.
• When squashes are tender and the skin is lightly brown, remove from oven. (Note: If you're roasting different sized squashes, the smaller ones will cook faster and may need to be removed sooner.) Check for doneness by piercing the flesh with a knife in the meatiest part of each squash. If there's no resistance, the squash is done. Set aside until they are cool enough to handle, 15-20 minutes.
• Roughly chop almonds and set aside in a bowl. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the shell and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the onion, garlic, and oil from the pot to the food processor. Pulse a few times, then purée until smooth. Transfer the purée back into the pot that the onions and garlic were cooked in. (Tip: Clean the blade of the food processor by pouring out the purée, pulsing once, then removing the blade. Scrape any remaining purée into the pot.)
• Warm the squash purée over medium-high heat. Add almonds and pumpkin seeds. Thoroughly drain the currants (discard the wine), then add to the purée and stir to combine. When purée is hot, stir in the vinegar. Taste, and add more salt as necessary. Serve.

TUNISIAN WINTER SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Cover a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and stringy membranes, brush the cut sides with olive oil and lay cut side down on the foil-covered baking sheet. Bake 40 minutes, or until soft enough to pierce easily with a knife. Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then peel and mash with a fork, or puree in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the lemon or lime juice and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.
• In a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic to a paste with the salt, and stir into the puree, along with the spices. Taste and adjust salt. Mound on a platter or in a wide bowl. Run a fork down the sides. Mix together the remaining lemon juice and olive oil and drizzle over the puree. Decorate with olives and serve with small lettuce leaves for scooping, and warm flat bread.

SQUASH PURéE WITH OLIVE OIL AND LIME

Steps:

• In a steamer set over boiling water steam the squash, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is very tender. Reserve the steaming liquid and force the squash through a ricer or food mill set over a large bowl. Stir in the oil, the lime juice, and enough of the reserved steaming liquid to reach the desired consistency and season the squash purée with the nutmeg and salt and pepper. The squash purée may be made 3 days in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated, adding additional water as needed.

MAPLE SQUASH PURéE

Steps:

• Simmer squash in water with 1 teaspoon salt in a 5-quart pot (water will not cover squash), covered, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain squash in a colander.
• Purée squash, syrup, and butter in batches in a food processor until smooth, adding reserved cooking liquid if purée is too thick. Transfer to a serving bowl and stir in pepper and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt.
• Variations:
• • Add crumbled bacon: Cook 6 bacon slices in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain, then crumble and sprinkle over purée.
• • Add 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger to purée along with pepper and salt.

BAKED DELICATA SQUASH WITH LIME BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the squash cut side down into a baking dish. Pour water into the dish to about 1/4 inch deep.
• Bake in preheated oven until the squash pierces easily with a fork, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, blend the butter with the lime juice and chili powder in a small bowl. Mix in the lime zest, if desired. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the butter mixture into the cooked squash, and serve immediately.

ACORN SQUASH PUREE

Steps:

• Prepare Basic Acorn Squash. When cool enough to handle, halve each squash lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds; scrape out flesh from squash halves, and transfer to a food processor (discard skin). Process until smooth. You can also season it and serve it as a side dish.
• In a medium saucepan, combine squash purée with 2 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon coarse salt. Cook over medium heat until hot, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle lightly with ground nutmeg.