In the aftermath of holiday excess, it is comforting to sit down to a healthy meal at home…providing it’s something appealing and delicious. The good news here is that the words “healthy” and “delicious” need not cancel out each other.
I would be the last person on the planet to recommend dining on a tablespoon of cottage cheese and a few limp carrot sticks. (I’m all for maintaining high standards, regardless of the circumstances.) So instead of partaking in dreary rabbit food, how about something fresh and colorful, brimming with bright flavors and a variety of textures? How about a dinner where nearly every ingredient can be purchased at a fair price, directly from the grower?
Because we have access to excellent produce throughout the year, Californians are known for their inventive seasonal salads. I realize a cold dinner is about the last thing on anyone’s mind in January—but take a minute to walk through the farmers’ market and think outside the ice box. What if one of our salad’s main ingredients was roasted to cozy perfection in your oven?
There is a whole world beyond that wedge of crisp iceberg drizzled with blue cheese dressing or, far worse, those wilted lettuce leaves and anemic tomato slices drowning in a bottled vinaigrette. Californians know how to make the most of the most humble, any time of the year. With sweet chunks of roasted winter squash, crunchy toasted walnuts, and tart dried cherries, the following salad is hearty enough to stand on its own for dinner—and a worthy side dish for any potluck.
Make this the main event one Meatless Monday this month—accompanied by a warm, crusty loaf of artisan bread and a glass of crisp California Chardonnay to toast in a new year of good eating.
Honey-Glazed Butternut Squash Salad
- 1/2 cup California walnut halves and pieces
- 1 (2-pound) firm winter squash, such as butternut, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons California extra-virgin olive oil
- Coarse (kosher) salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons California walnut oil or olive oil
- 6 cups baby arugula leaves (about 7 ounces)
- 1/2 cup dried cherries, coarsely chopped
- Optional: crumbled California goat cheese, blue cheese, or shaved Parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the walnuts in a small pan and bake, stirring once or twice, 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Set aside to cool; then chop coarsely. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- To facilitate clean-up, line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment. Combine the squash, olive oil, about 2 teaspoons of coarse salt, the thyme, and crushed red pepper on top; toss to mix. Spread into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and drizzle with honey; stir carefully with a spatula, and once again spread into an even layer. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are nicely browned and the squash is tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 5 to 10 minutes longer. (If desired, squash can be baked up to 2 hours in advance. Just cover loosely with foil and let stand at room temperature.)
- To make the dressing: In a large shallow serving bowl, whisk together the orange juice and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in the walnut oil. Add the arugula, walnuts, and dried cherries and toss gently to coat. Taste, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Use a spatula to scrape the warm (or room temperature) squash and any cooking juices over the salad. Top with cheese, if desired. Serve at once.
Serves 4 to 6.
The Danville Certified Farmers’ Market, located at Railroad and Prospect, is open every Saturday, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. For specific crop information call the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association at 1-800-949-FARM or visit their web site at www.pcfma.com.
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