Vegan casserole a fine use for winter squash

[Guest guest]

The persistence of winter squash in the final Community Supported Agriculture box from Grasshoppers Distribution made me look around for different things to do with it, and I found a lovely seasonal idea in "Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook" (Marlowe and Co., $27.50), one of the new books that I reviewed last week.

 

 

 

The squash that we got in our CSA box was a Delicata, an oblong, yellow winter squash with green stripes along shallow indentations in the skin. Like most winter squashes, it is a long-lived vegetable, able to hold up for a few weeks in a cool spot, like the vegetable bin of the fridge. Instead of the typically dense orange flesh, the Delicata is rich yellow, but it also takes well to long roasting. In this recipe, any such winter squash -- butternut, kabocha, acorn, Hubbard's -- can be used. I used both the Delicata and a kabocha that had been keeping it company in the vegetable bin.

Although I have, sometimes, liked the tedious process of peeling fresh chestnuts, I opted for chestnuts in a jar, to save time. This dish can be made ahead and reheated.

Winter squash casserole withroasted onions and chestnuts

1 pound onions, peeled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup olive oil

1 pound chestnuts, fresh, or frozen or in a jar

2 pounds winter squash, such as butternut, kabocha or Delicata

15-ounce can white beans, such as Great Northern or cannellini

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1½ teaspoons ground coriander

½ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1½ teaspoons salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper to taste

½ cup vegetable broth

Crumb topping:

½ cup white breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage

Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss onion with the olive oil in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times in the process, until onions are nicely browned. (If a few have burnt edges, that is OK.)

If using fresh chestnuts, cut an X in one end of each, and roast in a separate pan. The cut sections should spread open, allowing the shells to be pulled off when the chestnuts cool. If using bottled chestnuts, drain. Chop chestnuts coarsely, and add to the onions.

Peel and seed the squash, and cut into 1-inch dice. Add diced squash, beans, thyme, coriander, nutmeg, salt, pepper and broth to the roasting pan with the onions and chestnuts. Toss to mix, cover with aluminum foil, and bake 35-45 minutes, until squash and chestnuts are fork-tender.

In a bowl, toss together the breadcrumbs, oil and sage. Season with cayenne, salt and pepper. Remove foil from baking pan, top casserole with crumb mixture, and bake another 15 minutes, until topping is lightly browned.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish, or 4 vegans with bread and a salad.

Reporter Ron Mikulak can be reached at (502) 582-4618.

 

A Delicata and a kabocha were used in this dish, but any winter squash will do. Most winter squash last for weeks in a cool spot, like the refrigerator.

(By Pam Spaulding, The Courier-Journal)

 

 

 

You can peel fresh chestnuts for this dish or use frozen or bottled ones.

(By Pam Spaulding, The Courier-Journal)

 

 

Peter vv