Roasted Carnival squash with crispy lentils and cashew cream
So I am trying to keep up with my instagram posts and post them on the blog with a recipe at the same time. This can be a problem as I often have more than one Instagram post a day. I’ll have to figure out a happy balance but the problem is the followers on Instagram are asking for the recipes and I feel that I need to provide. We’ll see how it goes. If you wish, you could follow my instagram account @oliveoilandlemons. Just click on the link to the right. You’ll be up to date on what I am doing. in the kitchen.
Are you still in love with autumn squashes? I certainly am. I love going to the market and seeing the orange fields of gorgeous varieties they have right now. I am going to buy a few for our patio, since my gardener came today and did her annual fall cleanup and cut down most of my plants. I am always a little mad at her when she does that:). I want to the season to last as long as possible, but she has to do her job. Thanks Linda:). The joy of living in cold climate.
So I roasted this beautiful squash that was sitting on my counter for a couple of weeks (yes, they last), looking around and contemplating when it’s turn is going to come. It came today. I carefully cut it along the natural curves into beautiful wedges, drizzled a little olive oil and roasted at a slower oven until it was cooked through. Sometime I don’t want too much caramelization on the outside, and have the soft flesh stand out on its own.
To go with it I had cooked lentils in the fridge from a day or two ago. I spread about two cups of them on a lined baking sheet, showered with salt and roasted in the oven for about 15 minutes until they just begun to crisp but were not dry and hard. they would add a crunch element to this simple but exquisite dish.
For a creamy element I decided to stay vegan. After watching one of those health shows on Netflix I made cashew cream to replace the dairy that I was otherwise going to use. It’s a delicious and versatile thing to have if you are trying to stay off dairy but still want the creaminess you get from sour cream, whipped cream, creme fraiche etc.
A finishing touch is the balsamic crema. I didn’t have anything with the thick consistency to I simply cooked a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar with a teaspoon of sugar in a small shallow pan until it thickened.
It was a lovely dish, my kind of simple food, so I thought I’d share.
The gorgeous plate in the pictures is on loan to me by Shelley Bauer, the uber talented artist and potter behind Blue Apple Studios here in Kelowna. I am enrolled in Shelley’s pottery classes and absolutely love it. You should join me. The plate, and a few more to come, are available to order through Shelley’s studio. See link below.
Enjoy
Ingredients:
Roasted Squash
1 medium size squash, any kind.
Olive oil to drizzle
Salt and pepper.
Carefully cut the squash into its natural segments.
Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle some salt over.
Place on a lined baking sheet and roast, uncovered in 375 oven until it is cooked through. Half way through the cooking turn the wedges over gently using tongs.
Crispy lentils:
2 cups cooked lentils
Salt
Spread the lentils over a lined baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and roast at 375F until they begin to crisp. Do not over cook.
Cashew cream:
2 cups cashews
Boiling water
1 cup water or as needed
1 dates
1 teaspoon lemon juice
A pinch of salt
Soak cashews in boiling water for a couple of hours or overnight.
Drain and discard water.
Place cashews in a blender with remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to add a bit more water but be careful not ot add too much. It should have the consistency of whipped cream.
To serve:
Using the back of a spoon smear a blob of the cashew cream along one side of the plate. Arrange squash wedges alongside.
Sprinkle crispy lentils over and drizzle with balsamic crema.
Plate by Shelley Bauer of Blue Apple Studio
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