Apparently, we’re back in Winter again.  Spring was nice, it lasted oh about 12 days.  I made a lovely arugula salad and some strawberry shortcake in honor of the warmer weather and I even took a little vacation.

And then, blink!  It ended.  That was it, folks.  Now it’s raining and cold.  Easter was… dreary.  The heater is on and the cat is napping next to the vent.  I haven’t seen the sun in about 36 hours and I’m all bundled up in my down slippers and a big chunky sweater.

Rather than sit by the window and mope while the rain knocks the blossoms off the cherry trees across the street, I thought I ought to do something constructive, like cook.  Well really it was that I felt like eating, since I was hibernating and all, so I broke out one of my favorite cold-weather recipes and filled my apartment with the smells of sage, onions, and squash.

Ahhhhh… that feels better.

What?  What’s that you say?  It’s April?  Nah.  Can’t be.

Whole Wheat Penne with Butternut Squash and Crispy Sage

8 oz whole wheat penne
1 butternut squash
1 purple onion
1/4 cup olive oil
6 cups green chard, rinsed and roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
12 sage leaves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (divided)
1 (1/2) teaspoon freshly ground pepper (divided)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Cook the penne according to package instructions in salted boiling water.

While the penne is cooking, peel one half of the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler and remove the seeds.  Dice into 1/2-inch pieces.   (Reserve the remaining squash half for an alternate use.)  Peel the onion and dice into 1/2-inch pieces.  Place the diced squash and onion in a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkling with 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper and tossing thoroughly to combine.  Transfer the squash and onion mixture to a jelly roll pan, spreading evenly, and bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the squash is tender and cooked through, tossing occasionally to ensure even cooking.

Drain the penne, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid and return to the pan.  Add the squash/onion mixture to the cooked penne, toss to combine, and set aside.  Sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat (do not add butter or olive oil, heat it dry.)  Reduce the heat to medium and place the chopped walnuts in the skillet, tossing them gently until they are lightly toasted.  Transfer the walnuts to the penne mixture.  In the same skillet, still over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then add the chard, sprinkling generously with salt.  Toss gently just until the chard begins to wilt, then quickly transfer to the pasta mixture.

Wipe the skillet clean and return to medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and bring to a sizzle.  Add the sage and fry quickly, being careful not to burn it.  Transfer the sage and the oil it was cooked in to the pasta.  Toss all ingredients thoroughly and add more salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle with more olive oil if needed.

Serve on a chilly springtime day, then curl up in  a big blanket and pretend it’s really winter.

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April 9, 2009: Big thanks to Marc over at ReadyMade for featuring this recipe as part of Four Course Fridays!!

Well, this recipe just might change holiday vegetables forever.  I take all the best fall has to offer–carrots, butternut squash, purple onion, garnet yams, and Brussels sprouts — and give them a sweet and spicy kick with a dash of  ground ancho chili pepper and a generous heap of brown sugar.  Drizzled with a little olive oil, they roast in the oven until the brown sugar coating caramelizes to add a complex sweetness.

Spicy-Sweet Roasted Fall Vegetables

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 garnet yam, diced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
2 cups Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1 purple onion, diced into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon ground ancho chili pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chili pepper
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Place the cut vegetables (carrots through onion) in a large bowl and toss with ground peppers, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Stir gently with a wooden spoon until the vegetables are evenly coated, then turn onto a 12-inch cookie sheet or shallow baking dish.   Roast on the middle rack, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and browned.  Serve immediately.

Preparation tip: Most of the work here is in the peeling and chopping, and there’s no reason why you can’t do this ahead.  Peel and chop all the vegetables up to two days ahead and store refrigerated in an airtight container.

Today was a dark and dreary day in Northern California, so I made soup: butternut squash soup with balsamic-roasted tomatoes. It’s rich and full of flavor, but it’s made with a broth base (not cream) so it’s not too heavy. Served with a crusty hunk of toasted wheat bread, it makes a nice dinner… for a single girl home alone and still in her pajamas at 6 p.m.

1 butternut squash, cut in half and seeded
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
6 plum tomatoes, cored and halved
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 red onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
6 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
juice of 2 oranges

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the butternut squash cut side down in a large, shallow baking dish. Add 1/2 cup water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the dish. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

Toss the tomatoes and garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Place the mixture in a small baking dish and roast 30-35 minutes or until the skins are shriveled. Cool slightly, remove the garlic cloves, pull the skins from the tomatoes and then crush gently with a fork.

Heat the remaining olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven. Add the chopped onion and cook for 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add the carrot and celery and cook an additional 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the broth, salt and pepper to the vegetable mixture, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

Scoop the cooked squash out of its skin and add to the broth mixture. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped herbs.

Working in small batches, transfer the soup to a food processor fitted with the metal blade and puree until smooth. Return to the pot and stir in the tomatoes and orange juice. Season with salt and pepper if desired, reheat if necessary, and serve immediately.

Tip: To remove thyme leaves, hold the stem by the tip between your thumb and forefinger. Run your other thumb and forefinger down the stem in the opposite direction against the leaves. (See photo above.) The leaves should just slip off.