BUTTERNUT SQUASH GNUDI WITH KALE PARMESAN AND PEPITAS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Gnudi are gnocchi-like dumplings that are traditionally made with strained ricotta and nothing more than a light dusting of semolina flour—essentially a ravioli filling minus the pasta. The result is something much more cloud-like and ethereal than gnocchi. In this version, we used butternut squash instead of ricotta to create the […]
BARLEY RISOTTO WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS In this hearty cold-weather side dish or main course, sweet roasted butternut squash is paired with nutty, chewy barley, sage, and Parmesan. Barley is sold in several forms, but in the test kitchen we prefer pearl barley, which has been hulled and polished. With the bran removed, the texture of the […]
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH SAGE PESTO
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This hearty version of butternut squash soup can stand on its own as a meal. Instead of the usual creamy, rich pureed style of butternut squash soup, we opted to feature chunks of squash paired with creamy cannellini beans to give our soup some heft. Because the bulb portion of the […]
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH WITH BROWNED BUTTER AND HAZELNUTS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS You may not immediately recognize this dish and its variations as the familiar roasted butternut squash, but actually, that’s the point. A recipe in London-based chef Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Plenty introduced us to an alternative squash universe. He roasts thin skin-on half-moons of squash and then tosses them with savory ingredients, […]
SLOW COOKER BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Especially at holiday time, having a foolproof slowcooker method for squash can be a lifesaver. Since the flavor of butternut squash is delicate, our goal was to bump it up so it would taste great even after hours in the slow cooker. First we tried cooking the squash in water to […]
BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE WITH SAGE AND TOASTED ALMONDS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS With its silky texture and earthy, lightly sweet flavor, pureed butternut squash is a crowd-pleasing cool-weather side dish. Most recipes for pureed squash are similar in that they call for cooking the squash until tender and then pureeing it with some butter and/or heavy cream in a food processor. We pitted […]
SIZZLING SAIGON CRÊPES
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Named for the sound these crêpes make when the batter hits a hot wok, sizzling Saigon crêpes are best described as paperthin Vietnamese pancakes. These crispy, yellow, rice-flour crêpes are wrapped with lettuce and fresh herbs and dipped into a sweet-tart dipping sauce. Though pork and shrimp are often used for […]
FRIED RICE WITH BEAN SPROUTS AND PEAS
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This simple fried rice transforms a handful of basic ingredients into a restaurant worthy dish that’s faster and far tastier than takeout. Sweet baby green peas, crunchy-juicy bean sprouts, and pungent scallions add the vegetable interest here. Using chilled cooked rice is key to achieving the best texture in any fried […]
SPAGHETTI AL VINO BIANCO
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS A plate of al dente pasta with peppery arugula, rich pancetta, toasted pine nuts, and salty Pecorino Romano sounds like a perfect dish to pair with a glass of white wine. Well, in this case, we actually cooked the pasta in the wine, exploiting this natural affinity to its fullest. The […]
ARUGULA SALAD WITH STEAK TIPS AND GORGONZOLA
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Dressing peppery arugula with a simple vinaigrette and fortifying it with tender steak tips and blue cheese makes for a quick and elegant dinner salad. The vinaigrette has Dijon mustard to amp up the spiciness of the arugula, along with cider vinegar and honey to add a complementary fruity, sweet touch […]