Radicchio & Roasted Delicata Squash Salad

Recipe & Pic from Brooklyn Supper

In this autumnal salad the bitterness of the Radicchio is well balanced by acid from the dressing as well as the caramelized sweetness of the Delicata- it's the perfect gateway recipe if you are just starting to explore bitter greens!

~Rae

2 medium delicata squash , halved, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

1 teaspoon heat tolerant, neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed)

sea salt

Salad and Dressing

1 small head radicchio , cored with leaves torn into bite-sized pieces

zest of 2 lemons and 2 tablespoons juice , divided

sea salt

2 shallots , divided

1 tablespoon maple syrup

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Toppings

1/4 cup raw, hulled pepitas

heat tolerant neutral cooking oil (such as grapeseed)

10 sage leaves , rinsed and patted completely dry

1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese

fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Move oven rack to the top third of the oven. Set out 2 rimmed baking sheets. (If both trays fit on a single rack in the oven, all the better. If not, move second oven rack to top third of oven and roast with pans on 2 oven racks, rotating shelves halfway through.)

Toss sliced delicata with oil and arrange on baking sheets, avoiding overcrowding. Spinkle both sides with sea salt. Roast 25 - 30 minutes, flipping squash halfway through, until squash is tender with crisp, golden brown edges.

While squash roasts, in a large mixing bowl, toss radicchio leaves with lemon zest and a big pinch sea salt. Set aside.

Thinly slice shallots. Mince 1 tablespoon for the dressing; reserve the rest.

To make dressing, whisk to combine 1 tablespoon minced shallot, lemon juice, maple syrup, and a pinch sea salt. Whisk in olive oil until mixture is emulsified.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallots, sprinkle with sea salt, and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Toss pepitas in the same pan and, shaking constantly, toast 1 minute or just until a few seeds start to pop. Remove and toss with sea salt. Add 2 tablespoon oil to the same pan and when hot, add sage. Fry just until crisp, about 1 minute. Set sage on a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt.

As squash comes out of the oven, drizzle radicchio with 3 tablespoons dressing and toss with squash on hot baking sheet.

Transfer salad to a large bowl, toss with shallots and Parmesan; scatter pepitas and crumble sage on top. Finish with a drizzle of dressing and a few twists pepper.

Soy Marinated Shishito Peppers With Orange Gremolata

Recipe & Pic from Betty Liu

What an interesting combination of flavors! Please let us know if any of you give this recipe a try!

~Rae

Shishito Pepper + Soy Marinade
1 lb shishito peppers with stem on
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (CA Olive Ranch preferred, or at least other high quality evoo)
flaky Maldon sea salt
3t tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar

Heat olive oil in a heavy pan until hot but not smoking.

Add peppers, with room to spare (separate into batches if necessary) and cook over medium-low heat. Do not stir. Let peppers breathe and char for 1 minute, and once they start to sizzle, turn them and char the other side. Cook another minute. Stir and let cook. Peppers may “burst” and let out air/steam, but that’s OK. Peppers should be on the point of collapse, soft and folding on itself.

Drain on paper towel briefly, then place in soy marinade.

Orange-Sage Gremolata
zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp freshly chopped sage
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup polenta, cooked to your desired consistency.

Mix ingredients together. Use immediately.

Spoon polenta into bowls. Sprinkle with gremolata, then top with marinated shishito peppers. Enjoy warm!

Blistered Shishitos With Orange-Sage Gremolata Polenta

Recipe & Pic from Betty Liu

If you've got some sage left over from a previous box this is a great way to use it up, otherwise try subbing in some of your fresh coriander!

Shishito Pepper + Soy Marinade
1 lb shishito peppers with stem on
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
flaky Maldon sea salt
3t tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sugar

Heat olive oil in a heavy pan until hot but not smoking.

Add peppers, with room to spare (separate into batches if necessary) and cook over medium-low heat. Do not stir. Let peppers breathe and char for 1 minute, and once they start to sizzle, turn them and char the other side. Cook another minute. Stir and let cook. Peppers may “burst” and let out air/steam, but that’s OK. Peppers should be on the point of collapse, soft and folding on itself.

Drain on paper towel briefly, then place in soy marinade.

Orange-Sage Gremolata
zest of 1 orange
3 tbsp freshly chopped sage
3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup polenta, cooked to your desired consistency.

Mix ingredients together. Use immediately.

Spoon polenta into bowls. Sprinkle with gremolata, then top with marinated shishito peppers. Enjoy warm!

Blackberry & Sage Champagne Cocktails

Recipe & Pic from Dishing Up The Dirt

It's officially wild blackberry season and this drink is the perfect way to toast the summer (with a little help from your neighborhood brambles)!

2 bottles of bubbly

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup water

5-6 fresh sage leaves + more for garnish

1 pound fresh blackberries + more for garnish

Combine the honey and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir often and once it's about to reach the point of boiling turn off the heat and add the blackberries and whole sage leaves. Stir until well combined.

Once the syrup as cooled and the berries have broken down a bit pour the mixture (including the sage leaves) into a blender and blend until smooth. Then pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve (to remove any blackberry seeds) You will end up with about 2 cups of simple syrup. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of the syrup to each glass and add champagne. Pour in a couple of blackberries and a few sage leaves for garnish and enjoy.

Notes

*You will end up with extra simple syrup. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and tastes great on ice cream!

Recipe: Stuffed Winter Squash

from The Splendid Table

This recipe is very versatile and can be used with futso, acorn, butternut, or delicata!

2 small winter squash, cut in half through the stem and seeded

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for rubbing the squash and oiling the dish

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 ounces chorizo or sweet sausage, crumbled or cut into small pieces (or cooked chopped bacon)

1 cup chopped leeks (1 small leek)

1 cup chopped apple (1 to 2 apples)

Freshly ground pepper

2 cups sliced tender greens (spinach, tatsoi, kale, Swiss chard), cut into ribbons

4 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

2 cups cooked millet, rice, or quinoa (or try crumbled corn bread!)

1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese or Parmesan

Preheat the oven to 375° F. Rub the flesh of each squash half with olive oil, and oil an ovenproof dish or baking sheet. Sprinkle the whole baking dish with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Lay the squash flesh side down in the dish and bake until it is very tender when pricked with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 425°F.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and fry until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside. Add the leeks to the hot oil and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the apple, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper, and cook for another minute. Add the greens, sage, cooked grains, and reserved chorizo. Cook for another minute, stirring to combine, and remove from heat. Taste, and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Turn the cooked squash over in the baking dish so it is flesh side up. (Be careful, as steam will escape when you turn it.) Scoop the filling into the cavity of each squash half, piling it into a mountain so that it holds as much as possible. Sprinkle with cheese and bake until the cheese melts, about 10 minutes.

Recipe: Squash & Celeriac Quinoa Stuffing

From Good Saint

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3/4 cup diced celeriac (celery root)
3/4 cup diced winter squash
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground sage
1 teaspoon ground thyme
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil

Rinse quinoa, pour in a sauce pan with 2 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Avoid stirring and let boil until the quinoa absorbs all the remaining water, about 10-15 minutes. [Tip: For guaranteed perfect quinoa, after all the water is absorbed, turn the heat off and let it sit in the pan with the cover on for at least 10 more minutes. The quinoa will absorb any remaining water left in the pan and stay moist and fluffy!] Set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Melt about a tablespoon of oil in a pan. Chop the garlic, onions, squash, and celeriac, and add it to the oil. Cook on medium, stirring frequently, until veggies are fork tender- about 20 minutes. Once the veggies are softened, add the thyme, sage, salt and pepper and stir coat evenly.

Add the veggies to the quinoa in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour in the chopped parsley, hazelnuts, and olive oil and toss until everything is evenly distributed.