Milk Street Kitchen Food Editor Bianca Borges shared a recipe from the new cookbook "Milk Street Vegetables"
Roasted Acorn Squash with Orange-Herb Salad and Hazelnuts
Start to finish: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 to 6
With its green skin, golden-orange flesh and unique, scalloped exterior, roasted acorn squash makes for an especially attractive autumnal dish. We like to use a very hot oven so the slices develop flavorful caramelization while becoming tender and creamy. A leafy bed of fresh herbs and greens tossed with orange segments and toasted hazelnuts is a perfect complement to the earthy, sweet squash. When prepping the oranges, be sure to reserve the juice, as you’ll need 3 tablespoons to make the vinaigrette.
Don’t empty the salad onto the serving platter by tipping it out of the bowl. Use tongs to transfer it so that excess dressing remains in the bowl for tossing with the roasted squash before the slices are placed on top of the greens.
1 1/2- to 2-pound acorn squash, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced into 1-inch-thick half rings
2 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 navel oranges
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and chopped
1 cup lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup lightly packed fresh mint
2 cups lightly packed baby arugula OR mesclun
Heat the oven to 475F with a rack in the middle position. Mist a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the squash on the prepared baking sheet and toss with the 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Distribute in an even layer and roast until a skewer inserted into a piece meets no resistance and the bottoms are nicely browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, grate 1 teaspoon zest from 1 of the oranges; set aside. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom 1/2 inch from each orange. One at a time, stand the oranges on a cut end and cut from top to bottom following the contours of the fruit to remove the peel and white pith. Hold each orange over a large bowl and cut between the membranes to release the segments, allowing the juices to fall into the bowl; set the orange segments aside. Once all of the segments have been cut free, squeeze the juice from the membranes into the bowl; discard the membranes. You should have about 3 tablespoons orange juice.
When the squash is done, to the orange juice in the bowl, whisk in the orange zest, vinegar, remaining ⅓ cup oil, half of the hazelnuts, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the parsley, mint, arugula and orange slices. Toss with tongs to combine, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Using the tongs, transfer the salad to a serving platter. To the dressing remaining in the bowl, add the squash and toss to coat. Place on top of the salad and sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts.
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