Winter Squash And Sage Blini Recipes

WINTER SQUASH AND SAGE BLINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil the foil. Lay the squash on the foil, skin side up, and roast until it is thoroughly tender when pierced with a knife or skewer, 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the heat, allow to cool until you can handle it, then remove the skin and purée in a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in a standing mixer fitted with the paddle. You should have about 3/4 cup of purée.
• Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and whisk in the buttermilk and the puréed squash. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and whisk together.
• Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat in a small skillet and add the slivered sage. Fry the leaves for about 10 seconds, until they are beginning to crisp, and remove from the heat. Allow the oil to cool, then add to the liquids in the bowl. Quickly whisk in the flour mixture.
• Heat a griddle over medium-high heat and ladle 1 to 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake. They should be about 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Cook until bubbles break through; flip over and cook until lightly browned on the other side. Remove from the heat.

CREAMIEST WINTER SQUASH WITH RAISINS AND SAGE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange whole squash on a baking sheet and roast until the skin is papery and a fork inserted in 2 or 3 different spots reveals very tender flesh, about 1 1/4 hours. Set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel away the skin, and discard the seeds.
• Meanwhile, pulse raisins, pecans, parsley, sage and orange zest in a food processor until finely chopped and transfer to a bowl; wipe out food processor.
• In the clean food processor, puree warm squash and tofu until very smooth and creamy. (Reheat, if needed, in a medium pot over medium heat.) Transfer to a large bowl or platter, scatter raisin-sage mixture over the top and serve.

HERB ROASTED WINTER SQUASH

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place squash and onions in a mixing bowl and coat with olive oil and herbs.
• Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and spread the squash on the pan in a single layer.
• Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until pieces are tender and slightly caramelized.

SLOW-COOKED WINTER SQUASH WITH SAGE AND THYME

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°F. Toss squash, garlic, sage, thyme, oil, and salt in a shallow 2-qt. baking dish to combine.
• Turn garlic cut side down, then roast vegetables, tossing 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, very tender, and edges and cut sides are crisp, 60-70 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add vinegar and toss to coat.

WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375° F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with the garlic, and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water to thin it out. Taste for salt.
• Depending on the type of squash you've used, the soup will be smooth or rough. Puree or pass it through a food mill if you want a more refined soup. Ladle it into bowls and distribute the cheese over the top. Garnish each bowl with the fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND SAGE LATKES

Steps:

• Place the grated onion in a strainer set over a bowl while you prepare the other ingredients. Then wrap in a dishtowel and squeeze out excess water, or just take up by the handful to squeeze out excess water. Place in a large bowl and add the squash, sage, baking powder, salt and pepper, oat bran, and flour. Taste and adjust salt. Add the eggs and stir together.
• Begin heating a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Place a rack over another sheet pan. Take a 1/4 cup measuring cup and fill with 3 tablespoons of the mixture. Reverse onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining latke mix. You should have enough to make about 30 latkes.
• Add the oil to the pan and when it is hot (hold your hand a few inches above - you should feel the heat), use a spatula to transfer a ball of latke mixture to the pan. Press down with the spatula to flatten. Repeat with more mounds. In my 10-inch pan I can cook 3 or 4 at a time without crowding; my 12-inch pan will accommodate 4 or 5. Cook on one side until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide the spatula underneath and flip the latkes over. Cook on the other side until golden brown, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to the rack set over a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
• Serve hot topped with low-fat sour cream, Greek style yogurt or crème fraîche.

ROASTED WINTER SQUASH WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND SAGE

Steps:

• Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Brush the oil on the foil and the cut sides of the squash. Place squash halves face down.
• Roast until a skewer inserted in the squash meets no resistance, about 40-50 minutes.
• When the squash is almost done, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add the sage and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is golden brown and the sage is crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
• Remove the squash from the oven and turn cut-side up and season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle or brush with the sage butter sauce and sprinkle with brown sugar. Serve immediately.