A Light and Late Thanksgiving Side
Thanksgiving seems eons away and Christmas is right around the corner, but I still wanted to share this lovely salad that we made for this year's feast.
We spent holiday in Buffalo this year and co-hosted with my brother and sister-in-law at their house. We were responsible for a turkey and a couple of side dishes (including mashed potatoes made from our own Yukon golds!). I wanted to do something with butternut squash, but was not finding anything too inspiring.
Then, the night before Thanksgiving (of course), I came across this recipe from the local blog Brown Eyed Baker. Check her site out for some wickedly delicious recipes. I liked the idea of a salad to help offset all of the heavy traditional dishes. Plus, it's pretty!
A couple of tips: I doubled the recipe since we had a large group. Next time, I'd leave the dressing on the side so leftovers don't get wilty. I ended up not roasting the cranberries or toasting the walnuts and it still turned out good.
Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
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| Photo by Brown Eyed Baker |
2 tablespoons + ½ cup olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
¾ cup apple cider (can substitute apple juice)
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula (or mixed greens), washed and dried
½ cup walnuts, toasted
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Toss to evenly coat the butternut squash. Roast for 20 minutes, turning once, until the squash is tender. Add the cranberries to the pan during the last 5 minutes.
3. While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, the vinegar and the shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about ¼ cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, ½ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
4. Place the arugula in a large salad bowl and add the roasted squash mixture, the walnuts and the grated Parmesan. Spoon just enough vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve immediately.
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