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Heirloom Squash Salad With Pepita Purée and Pickled Shallots

Ingredients

For the Pepita Purée

  • 8 ounces (1 cup) plus 2 tablespoons raw unsalted pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds)
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup vegetable stock, and more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Salt and white pepper

For the Pickled Shallots

  • Salt
  • 1 ½ cups white wine vinegar
  • ½ cup sugar, preferably raw
  • Half a cinnamon stick
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1 star anise
  • Dash of hot red pepper flakes
  • 1 pound shallots (about 8 to 12), thinly sliced

For the Squash

  • Salt
  • 2 unpeeled delicata squash, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch thick half-circles
  • The necks of 2 butternut squash, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut with an apple corer into small cylinders
  • 2 unpeeled kabocha squash (also known as buttercup), ends trimmed, halved root to stem and cut into 6 half-circles
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • Nutritional Information
    • Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

      474 calories; 27 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 6 grams polyunsaturated fat; 53 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 619 milligrams sodium

      • Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

10 servings

Preparation

  1. Make the pepita purée: Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the pepitas with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and roast until evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
  2. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the cooled pepitas and place remaining pepitas in a blender with 3/4 cup vegetable stock. Purée, drizzling in the remaining olive oil. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Purée again, adding more broth if necessary for a consistency that is slightly thinner than tomato paste.
  3. Cook the shallots: Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a simmer. Meanwhile, in another large saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, star anise and red pepper flakes. Bring the vinegar mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
  4. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Blanch the shallots in the simmering water for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the bowl of ice water until cooled, then drain well.
  5. Add the shallots to the vinegar mixture and simmer for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week; bring to room temperature before using.
  6. Make the squash: Heat oven to 450 degrees. Fill a large pot halfway with lightly salted water and set over high heat to bring to a simmer. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Spread paper towels across two baking sheets and set aside.
  7. Using one type of squash at a time, blanch in the simmering water until tender but not falling apart. The delicata and butternut squash may take about 2 minutes; the kabocha may take slightly longer. Be careful not to overcook. As soon as the squash are blanched, remove with tongs or a slotted ladle and plunge into the ice water. When they have cooled, transfer to paper towels. Pat the squash with paper towels and allow to dry well; they will not brown when roasted if the surfaces are not dry.
  8. Spread all the squash on 2 large baking sheets and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and rub the surfaces to coat well. Roast until the squash starts to color, 5 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, spread the pepita purée on a large platter or individual plates, creating an even layer about 1/8-inch thick.
  9. Transfer the roasted squash to the platter or plates on top of the purée, arranging it loosely to show off the different shapes. Disperse a cup of the drained pickled shallots among the squash. Garnish with the remaining pepitas, and serve warm.

1 hour and 15 minutes

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