What are we eating ? | Cook (again) the squash

Just before the weekend, all readers who cook ask themselves this eternal question: what are we going to eat? In order to inspire you, The Press suggests some suggestions for seasonal recipes that will make your mouth water.

Peckish: minestrone-style soup

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Keeps for 5 days in the refrigerator and does not freeze.

Ingredients

• 250 ml (1 cup) small dry pasta (acini di pepe type, see Notes)
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 courgette (zucchini)
• 2 green onions
• 1 can (540 ml) no salt added kidney beans
• 30 ml (2 tbsp.) balsamic vinegar
• 20 ml (4 tsp.) dried Italian herbs
• 1 L (4 cups) baby spinach

Option 1 – To prepare 4 jars of salad

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) sun-dried tomato pesto

Option 2—To make 4 pots of soup

• 60 ml (1/4 cup) sun-dried tomato pesto
• 250 ml (1 cup) sun-dried tomato pesto
• 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 8 cups (2 L) boiling water

Preparation

• 1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and reserve.
• 2. While the pasta is cooking, cut the tomatoes and zucchini into small dice. Chop the green onions. Rinse and drain the kidney beans.
• 3. In 4 wide-mouth Mason jars with a capacity of 1 L (4 cups), place 125 ml (1/2 cup) of red kidney beans, 7.5 ml (1/2 tablespoon) of balsamic vinegar and 5 ml (1 tsp) of dried herbs per jar.
• 4. To make a salad: add 15 ml (1 tablespoon) of pesto per jar. To make a soup: add 60 ml (1/4 cup) of pesto and 0.5 ml (1/8 teaspoon) of salt per jar.
• 5. Divide the cooked pasta, zucchini, tomatoes, green onions and spinach among the 4 jars. Close lids and refrigerate.
• 6. At mealtime, for the salad, transfer the contents of a jar to a bowl, mix and enjoy. For the soup, pour 500 ml (2 cups) of boiling water into a pot and stir. If desired, transfer to a bowl and enjoy.

Ratings

Acini di pepe pasta looks like little marbles. If you can’t find any, just use another variety of small pasta.

Pepper, Swiss chard stalks, grated carrot… Replace the tomatoes and zucchini with whatever you have on hand. Spinach can be replaced with chopped Swiss chard leaves.

Published on lapresse.ca on August 23, 2021.

Quickly done well done: squash, cranberry and feta pie

Servings: 12

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 35 minutes

This savory tart will please everyone, even the most carnivorous. It can also be served in individual portions by filling it with phyllo muffin tins, the result is superb!

Ingredients

• 1 drizzle of olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups squash of your choice, diced
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 large pinch of cinnamon
• 1 large pinch of dried savory
• 1 small pinch ground clove
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 cup sheep’s feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 package 1 lb phyllo dough
• A few fresh cranberries (optional)
• Salt pepper

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• 2. In a large skillet, sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add the squash cubes, maple syrup, spices and cranberries. Season well, mix and cook for about ten minutes over medium heat. Finish with walnuts and a cup of feta cheese, mix well and set aside.
• 3. Line two nine-inch pie pans with about 20 phyllo sheets each, then add the squash mixture. Finish with the rest of the feta cheese and a few fresh cranberries.
• 4. Trim the excess dough, taking care to leave about 2 cm around to form a small crumpled crust.
• 5. Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the pastry is lightly toasted and the squash is tender.

Posted in The Press+ on December 21, 2017.

Call me boss! : chicken, zucchini and cottage cheese

For 4 people

Ingredients

• 3 boneless chicken breasts, cut into large strips
• 2 tbsp. (30ml) olive oil
• 1 large red onion, cut into half rings
• 1 large zucchini (or 2 small), cut into half rounds
• 1 C. 1/2 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
• 1 pot of 200 g Louché cheese (or 200 g feta cheese, diced)
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

• 1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
• 2. Fry the chicken strips in the oil until the meat is lightly browned, the center should be slightly pink. Salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl.
• 3. In the same skillet, sauté the red onion rings over medium heat until they become translucent.
• 4. Add the zucchini half-slices and cook until tender but a bit crunchy. Pepper.
• 5. Return the chicken to the zucchini mixture. Add the oregano and mix well.
• 6. When everything is hot, turn off the heat and sprinkle with spoonfuls of Louché fromage frais or feta cheese. Cover and wait a few minutes, until the cheese is well relaxed.
• 7. Serve on a bed of egg noodles to which a little olive oil has been added.
• 8. In season, you can replace the zucchini with asparagus sections.

Source: recipe by Brigitte Maillette, from Fromages du verger.

Published on lapresse.ca on May 29, 2018.

Guilty Pleasure: Fall Butternut Squash Spice Muffins

For 6 large muffins or 12 small ones

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (about 250 g) butternut squash (also called “doubeurre” or “butternut”), peeled and diced
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 C. baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 egg
• 1 cup almond milk (or cow’s milk)
• 3 tbsp. tablespoon almond butter (or melted butter)
• The zest of an orange
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Preparation

• 1. In a pot of boiling water, add the diced squash and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool for 15 minutes.
• 2. In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
• 3. In another bowl, mix the diced squash, egg, almond milk, almond butter and orange zest.
• 4. Pour the liquid mixture into the center of the dry mixture, add the cranberries and mix well.
• 5. Butter a muffin tin as needed and spread the mixture in it.
• 6. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes or until a knife inserted into a muffin comes out clean and dry.

Source: Christelle Tanielian, author of the blog Christelle is flabbergasting.

Published on lapresse.ca on October 18, 2012.