Honey-Roasted Beet Salad and Butternut Squash Soup
Honey- Roasted Beet Salad
This is a lovely salad for fall because roasted beets add a solemn, grounded flavor to the spicy exuberance of fall greens that reminds us that the harvest is upon us.
Ingredients:
1 ½ lbs. medium sized beets
Vegetable cooking spray
2 medium red onions, cut into wedges
4 Tablespoons honey, divided
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. currants or raisins
3-4 Tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 cups of a lettuce and greens mixture (mesclun or other mix)
Directions:
Simmer the beets in water (to cover) for about 15 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and peel beets. Cut into fourths. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line a pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray or wipe with a paper towel dipped in olive oil. Arrange beets and onion on pan. Drizzle with olive oil and 2 tablespoons honey. Roast at 400 degrees until beets are tender, about 40 minutes, and the transfer the beets and onions to serving bowl.
Combine remaining 2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 6 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste (note: you could also add some mustard to this salad dressing if you wish). Drizzle this mixture over the beets and onions and toss. Add currant/raisins and walnuts; toss again with the greens and serve.
(6 servings)
Butternut Squash or Pumpkin Soup
I’ve been making this soup for many years; I developed it after a friend returned from Africa raving about pumpkin-peanut soup but since that time have used variations of it to create French, Italian, Thai and even Persian-style pumpkin soups. This version combines elements of African and Thai soups and is delicious. It seems that practically every culture uses pumpkins and squashes for soups and curries, since they are so easy to grow, easy to store, easy to cook and so good for you. Every fall I buy lots of edible pumpkins and butternut squash and store them in the basement – we eat fresh pumpkin all winter long!
Ingredients:
1 medium sugar pumpkin, skinned and cubed, or one large butternut squash
Oil
2 medium onions, chopped
Garlic to taste
Stock (vegetable, chicken, or beef)
I can (14 ounces) Unsweetened coconut milk
2+ tablespoons peanut butter
2 bay leaves
Salt, pepper, and chili to taste
Seasonings: cardomom pods, cloves, or cumin
Directions:
In a stock pot cook the onions and garlic in oil until soft. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, and stock until pumpkin pieces are covered. Add the peanut butter and all the spices and simmer until thick and mushy. Remove bay leaves and cardamom before serving. You can also put the soup in the blender for a smoother consistency.
Cilantro-Yogurt Topping
1 cup nonfat yogurt
1-2 cups chopped cilantro, keep some aside for garnish
Garlic and black pepper to taste
2-4 fresh jalapeno chillis
Unsalted sunflower seeds to thicken mixture
Mix in blender and then swirl on top of the soup in individual bowls.
Variations:
1. Substitute vegetable, chicken or beef stock for the coconut milk.
2. Omit the peanut butter, chilli, and middle-eastern seasonings and use sage and white pepper instead, pick out sage leaves, put through the blender, and use a swirl of cream or yoghurt at the end to consolidate the texture. A roasted-red pepper topping would be good with this (same as above topping recipe except use roasted red peppers in place of chili and cilantro).
3. Other thickeners can be used: day old rice, etc. A nice version might be made with Italian roasting spices and old bread (toasted and/or fried in olive oil – or just toasted under the broiler with a bit of olive oil on top).