For days, the butternut squash had watched warily from the kitchen counter as one by one, the other vegetables met tragic ends. The stress finally felled one of them, but the other three held out hope.
Perhaps they were just seasonal decor, the oldest whispered. This family, after all, had frozen pizza and chicken nuggets at the ready. Six fast-food restaurants within a half-mile. Surely they would be spared the fate of “the others.”
Nope.
I saw this recipe for butternut squash gratin on Better Homes and Gardens, and it was batter up for the butternut.
You might like the original, but I made pretty significant changes, so here’s my version:
Butternut Squash Gratin with Spinach and Field Greens
- About 2 pounds butternut squash
-
1 Tablespoon olive oil
-
salt and pepper to taste
- 1 12-ounce bag frozen spinach, or 16 cups fresh
- 1 cup milk
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
In a small saucepan, mix the cold milk and the cornstarch and nutmeg. Please don’t try to add the cornstarch to warm milk because that will produce lumpopalooza. Simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture gets bubbly and starts to thicken. Then, mix this mixture into the spinach and spread it in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole pan.
Arrange the squash pieces over the spinach bed.
Then, stir together the yogurt and parmesan cheese, and pour that over the top. Bake at 475 for about 10 more minutes, until bubbly and nicely browned.
It’s hard to get a good picture of casseroley things, but it is really a pretty dish with the green and orange colors.
Final verdict: Three of the four people in our house liked this. One ate his sad little peanut-butter sandwich after tasting the requisite three bites, because mama is not a short-order cook, y’all. Hearty enough for a main dish, definitely one for my “make again” files.
Oh my gosh, that looks fantastic! I need to make this.
The thumb? The thumb. Freaking hilarious. I will never forget the damn thumb. LMAO.
Elle, it is SO delicious. Forget the “make your own creme fraiche” in the original recipe, lol. I also got to laughing thinking about that picture of the baked butternut squash sliced in half that turned out semi-pornographic. Good times.
You wont forget it because it was your recipe that almost made my thumb grow balls!!! Oh, and I LOVE the picture! 😛
-Bethany
This sounds wonderful. Love the spinach and squash combo. In case you need other butternut squash ideas, http://www.simplebites.net/butternut-squash-gratin-recipe-family-favorite-side-dish/ is excellent. And, this is on my to-try list: http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/10/butternut-squash-and-caramelized-onion-galette/
Dawn – this sounds delicious. On my list to try soon.
You’re a stitch. xo
I may have to try this. You know, when the weather isn’t hot enough to bake it outside. And if all of your cooking contains such imagery, I think you should write a cook book.