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Roasted Butternut Squash Salad with Warm Cider Vinaigrette
Ina Garten
4 servings
This is such a yummy fall salad, I get excited just thinking about it! It combines so many wonderful flavors: butternut squash, maple syrup, cranberries, dijon mustard, parmesan cheese, and crunchy walnuts. This would be a fabulous Thanksgiving side dish, but I’d eat it any night of the week. It can be a meal in itself, or is delicious alongside some simple sautéed chicken. One personal note: I don’t add the cranberries to the oven, even for the last 5 minutes as the recipe calls for. I prefer to just add them straight into the salad at the end.
Ingredients
1 (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
Good olive oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dried cranberries
3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry
1/2 cup walnuts halves, toasted
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the butternut squash on a sheet pan. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender. Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.
While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and 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 1/4 cup. Off the heat, whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
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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