Winter Squash & Sage Ricotta Tarts

 

Inspired by an item in the Starbucks bakery section (that I ironically did not even taste…), these tarts emanate the fall season!  I used acorn squash because we had it on hand, but in hindsight I think butternut squash, pumpkin, or sweet potato would be better as they tend to have a bolder flavor. Enjoy for brunch or while on a picnic!

Ingredients:

·         1 lb. butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, or sweet potato (peeled, seeds removed, and cut into bite-sized cubes)

·         1/4 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, shredded

·         1/2 medium sized red onion, thinly sliced

·         8/10 baby bella mushrooms, sliced

·         balsamic vinegar

·         1/2 cup ricotta

·         1/4 cup goat cheese

·         1 sheet ready-made puff pastry dough

·         1 egg (or Egg substitute)

·         flour, for dusting

·         salt & pepper

 

Directions:

1.    Remove puff pastry from the fridge. Place on counter and cover with towel. Allow dough to come to room temperature as you prepare remaining tart components (this will take about 40-45 minutes, but longer is fine).

2.    Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

3.    Peel, remove seeds, and cube squash.  Place in a medium-sized bowl with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil.

4.    Shred sage leaves. Add 3/4 of the sage to the bowl with the squash and oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

5.    Place seasoned squash on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, to prevent sticking. Roast in the heated oven until squash is slightly under cooked. It should have some give when poked with a fork, but be careful not to cook thoroughly, as it will continue to cook while pastry dough is baking. When squash is ready, remove from oven and allow to return to room temperature.

6.    Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.

7.    Meanwhile, very lightly sauté onions and mushrooms with a splash of balsamic as a faux carmelization. Season lightly with salt and pepper. These veggies also will continue to cook in oven while pastry dough is baking, so again be careful not to over-do it here.

8.    In a small bowl, combine remaining sage, ricotta, and goat cheese. Mix with a fork until thoroughly combined.

9.    Lightly flour a table or countertop as a surface for working with pastry dough. Diving dough into 6 equal sized rectangles. Roll dough a bit thinner with a rolling pin or side of an aluminum can.

10. Lightly grease an air-bake baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Place pastries on baking sheet. Poke each tart with a fork multiple times in the middle where you will be placing cheese and veggies. This will allow air to escape and prevent dough from puffing up underneath your other ingredients.

11. Assemble tarts. First, spread on a thin layer of the cheese and sage mixture in the middle, leaving about a centimeter border around all the edges. Next, arrange carmelized onions and mushrooms on top of the cheese. Finally, top with squash cubes.

12. Create egg wash by beating the egg in a small bowl. Use a paintbrush to spread egg wash around the edges of the tarts. This will help with brown the dough to get a nice crispiness.

13. Pinch the edges of the dough inward to form a crust-like outer rim (sort of like pizza).

14. Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Serve warm or allow to cool and eat at room temperature. If saving, store in an air-tight container in the fridge.

 

Lied Lodge Maple Glazed Pork

1 hour 42 minutes.  Michelle completed her first half-marathon at a lovely trail race in the middle of nowhere (i.e., Shenandoah, Iowa).  After running for almost two hours, hunger had a tendency to set in.  So, even following a full day of eating, we were still in the mood for a nice big dinner.   

We were staying at a bed and breakfast in Nebraska City and had planned to eat at the Lied Lodge—a previous favorite.  We dined on smoked pork with a maple glaze, an acorn squash puree, and mini roasted potatoes.  While we enjoyed the dish quite a lot, we were certain we could do better….

So we did.

 

Maple Glazed Pork

Ingredients:

·         Single pork tenderloin, cut into 5-6 medallions

·         For the spice rub:

o   2X salt

o   2X pepper

o   2X paprika

o   2X ancho chile powder

o   1X cayenne

o   2X onion powder

o   1X garlic powder

o   1/2X allspice

·         For the glaze:

o   1 clove garlic, minced

o   1/2 shallot, finely, chopped

o   1/4 onion, finely chopped

o   1/3 medium-sized green apple, finely chopped

o   3/4 (15 oz.) can chicken broth

o   white wine

o   salt

o   pepper

o   3 scant tablespoons maple syrup

o   1 tsp. orange zest and 1 Tbsp. orange juice

·         12 baby bella mushrooms

 

Directions:

1.    Combine spice rub ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over pork medallions. Place spiced meat in the fridge and allow it to set while you prepare the glaze.

2.    Put the garlic, shallot, and onion, in a medium sized sauce pan with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Cook over medium heat until brown and sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3.    De-glaze with a bit of white wine.  Let the wine cook down (approx. 2 minutes).

4.    Add the chicken broth, green apple, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice, and more pepper.  Let the sauce cook down for approx. 5 minutes on medium heat. 

5.    Put the sauce mix in a blender and frappe for about 1 minute.

6.    Return sauce to the pan and cook on medium heat for approx. 3-4 minutes more.  Stop once the sauce starts to thicken up a bit.

7.    Prepare mushrooms.  Skewer onto kebab sticks.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray and lightly season with salt, pepper, and onion powder.

8.    Preheat grill to medium-high heat.  Sear meat for about 2 minutes per side to achieve a nice crispy char on the outside.

9.    Meanwhile, position mushrooms on the grill on a spot where the heat is a bit lower.  Grill until tender.

10. Lightly brush on glaze and sear for another minute per side.

11. Reduce heat to medium low and leave meat on grill until cooked through.  You can add another layer of glaze at this point, if desired.

12. Remove from heat and allow to rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.  Serve with additional glaze, if desired. 

 

Savory Acorn Squash Puree

Ingredients:

·         1 medium-large sized acorn squash, halved and seeded

·         cinnamon

·         nutmeg

·         1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

·         1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

·         1 small green apple, cored and chopped

·         salt

·         fresh ground black pepper

·         ground sage

·         2 Tablespoons chicken broth

·         2 Tablespoons milk

·         2 Tablespoons parmesan cheese

·         freshly chopped sage

Directions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.    Place the squash halves, cut sides up, in a large baking dish. Sprinkle the insides lightly with cinnamon and nutmeg. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan by about 1/4-inch, cover with aluminum foil, and roast until the squash is tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour.

3.    Remove the squash from the oven, uncover, and let sit until cool enough to handle (you can speed up this process using the fridge, if needed). Using a grapefruit spoon, scoop the flesh from the squash into the bowl of a food processor.

4.    Lightly sauté the shallots, onion, and green apple with olive oil over medium heat until soft and fragrant.  Season lightly with salt, pepper, and sage (remember that you can always add additional seasonings later, if needed).  Add chicken broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apples are very tender.

5.    Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a food processor with the squash. Add milk and puree the mixture on high speed until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Finally, add parmesan cheese and puree until smooth.

6.    Keep warm in low-heat oven until you are ready to serve.  Alternatively, you can simply warm it up in the microwave for a minute or 2 before serving.

7.    Sprinkle on fresh chopped sage.  Place pork tenderloin atop puree and serve with mushrooms.