Sunday, November 13, 2011

Fooditka's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad



I'm always curious to experiment with different salad combinations and pairing together ingredients with juxtaposing textures.  The salad I will tell you about here is a prime example of that, as it marries warm, cooked ingredients with chilled, raw ones.  The salad was a big hit and didn't need much of a dressing, except a few drops of truffle oil and a sprinkling of sea salt and pepper.  Some lemon juice would do just fine too, or maybe even some honey.  Feel free to improvise and use your imagination.

Fooditka's Roasted Butternut Squash Salad

Ingredients (serves 3)

1 package of baby arugula
2 handfuls of fresh spinach leaves
Small butternut squash, cleaned, seeded and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/4 pound of burrata mozzarella cheese, teared into 1/4" rustic chunks
1/2 anjou pear, cubed
Handful of dried cranberries
Large handful of pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Toss butternut squash in olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for about 50 minutes (or until golden brown), taking it out and turning the squash 1/2 way in between.  Let cool for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the remainder of the ingredients by placing in individual bowls. I'd recommend not putting it into a large bowl, to avoid the greens getting soggy.  Top with the roasted butternut squash and a sprinkling of truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil and additional salt and pepper if needed.

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