A festival of flavors for the face. Sweet, earthy, tart, pungent, freshly herbaceous, it really is a party of tastes. Making the gremolata the day before makes this dish pretty simple to put together.
INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Delicata squash (4 large, 6 medium), halved lengthwise and cleaned out 1 bunch lacinato, stems removed, washed, chopped coarsely 1 small white or yellow onion, diced ¼-inch ¼ cup pine nuts, lightly toasted 2 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup gremolata, or to taste (see recipe) Salt and pepper to taste 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced Olive oil as neededMETHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F. Rub the inside of the squash with oil and season with salt and pepper. Put on a sheet pan cut side down and roast 25-30 minutes until tender. When tender, carefully drain off any liquid in the pan saving it in a small bowl. Turn over the squash. Replace in the oven and cook until the surface is turning golden and the squash smell sweet, about 10 minutes.
While the oven is heating, bring a 3 quart pan of water to boil. Do not salt the water. While the water comes to a boil, heat a large (10 or 12 inch) sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the water boils, add the lacinato and cook 1 minute or until wilted and tender. Drain the lacinato in a colander.
Once the pan is hot, add enough oil to coat the pan bottom well and heat the oil. Once hot, add the onions and cook, stirring to prevent burning, until they are translucent and tender. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper, and add the oregano. Cook until the garlic is tender and fragrant.
Add a little more oil to the pan, then add the lacinato, season with salt and pepper, and use tongs to mix in with the onions and garlic. Cook, turning frequently, until the kale is tender and flavorful. Scatter with the pine nuts and mix in. Cover and keep warm.
When the squash is at the point above, spread the lacinato out in the pan and even scatter the gremolata over it. Toss to evenly and thoroughly combine with the lacinato, and then spoon into the squash halves, filling the halves even with the edge. Spoon the reserved squash liquid oved the squash halves, and return to the oven to heat through, around 5-10 minutes.
Serve right away, and note that the skins of Delicata are edible.
Chef’s Notes: Adding mushrooms, leftover grains such as farro or kasha, or a dice of cooked carrots are all good ideas. If you have soffrito in the freezer or refrigerator, use that in lieu of onions. Feel free to garnish the squash with cheese, bread crumbs, or both.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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