Maple roasted winter vegetables with marcona almonds

Many people eagerly await asparagus in April and fresh corn in July. I'll admit, I definitely look forward to fava beans and morels in the spring, and tomatoes from my garden in the summer. That being said, winter produce has more to offer than most people think. I love winter squash - there are so many different varieties with a wide range of tastes and textures. Over the past few winters, I've also been experimenting more with root vegetables. Parsnips, turnips, celery root and rutabagas have found a regular place on the dinner table.

This recipe from the thanksgiving issue of Bon Appetit combines two types of winter squash and parsnips with maple syrup for added sweetness and marcona almonds for crunch. I think that most people are familiar with butternut squash and parsnips, although it does amuse me that the national chain grocery store in my area has parsnips in their "exotic vegetable" section.

Kabocha squash is also known as a Japanese pumpkin. It's usually dark green, but occasionally you'll see one with an orange skin. To me the flavor is similar to butternut, but sweeter. If you can't find kabocha, I think you could just use the butternut and parsnips with good results.The squash and parsnips are first peeled and cubed. Fair warning - peeling winter squash can be a pain, especially for kabochas since they have a thick skin. I ended up with more squash than the recipe called for, so I used the rest to make a pureed soup for the freezer. The squash and parsnips are tossed in a combination of butter, maple syrup, rosemary, salt and pepper. I omitted the garlic and cut the amount of maple syrup and butter in half. I didn't follow the roasting instructions - instead I cooked everything uncovered at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Kabocha squash and fennel soup with candied pumpkin seeds

I received Sunday Suppers at Lucques as a holiday present, and this is the first recipe I've made from the book. Kabocha squash and fennel are caramelized in the oven and pureed with toasted ground fennel seeds, onions, fresh thyme, butter, chile de arbol and chicken stock to make a thick soup. This soup has a complex flavor from the sweetness of the squash, earthiness of the fennel and heat of the chile. The recipe says to serve the soup topped with creme fraiche, but I used the sour cream that I already had on hand.


The candied pumpkin seeds are amazing - the seeds are lightly toasted in butter and coated with sugar, paprika, toasted cumin, cayenne, kosher salt and a touch of honey. They have a great balance of sugar, salt and spice.


This is a fun twist on your standard winter squash soup, it will definitely be going into the regular rotation. I am also planning to try the pumpkin seed coating on some walnuts or pecans.

Stuffed kabocha squash

These baby kabocha squash were at the farmer's market yesterday, and I couldn't resist buying them. They're about the size of a baseball. I stuffed them with a mixture of stale focaccia, oyster mushrooms, herbs and cheese. If you can't find small kabocha squash, look for red kuri instead - they often come in a small size.

Stuffed kabocha squash
Serves 2

2 small kabocha or red kuri squash (about the size of a baseball)
1 cup oyster mushrooms, small dice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon green onion, sliced
1 cup stale bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tablespoon parsley, coarsely chopped
1/4 chicken stock
2 tablespoons shredded fontina or parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tops off the squash and remove the seeds. Season the squash cavities with salt and pepper and roast them, cut side down, for about 25 minutes or until tender. In a pan, heat up the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the bread and parsley, stir in the chicken broth. Add the cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Fill the squash cups with stuffing, place back in the oven and roast at 350 degrees for another 20-25 minutes.