Jacob Baxter: Roasted Fall Squash Salad
Here’s a unique salad, submitted by Jacob Baxter, Melissa’s rep in Michigan, to serve friends and family at this month’s Turkey Day feast. This dish technically qualifies as a salad with the amount of greenery along with a tasty vinaigrette; however, the roasted Butternut squash component also qualifies it as a multi-flavored side dish. Serve it family style in a large bowl and let your guests decide.
“My wife found the original recipe on the Internet years ago, though she does not recall the exact site or that original recipe,” Jacob explained. “Besides, those roots really are irrelevant, as it has gone through several tweaks over the years but remains one of our extended family’s favorite special occasion dishes. So much so that it is expected at all our family’s gatherings.”
The dish is the kind that most home chefs will appreciate for its process – lots of ingredients to prep that come together at the end quickly. So, sharpen your knives, pull up a seat, pour a glass, turn on some background music, and spend an enjoyable afternoon totally involved in the art of cooking. There is butternut squash to prep and roast, greens to shred, as well as a unique pomegranate vinaigrette to mix and heat.
All goes quickly except for the shredding of the Brussels Sprouts. Tip: No kitchen tool needed for this task beyond a good knife, as Brussels almost naturally break apart by first slicing off the browning butt end, then slicing each little head lengthwise into thin strips. While 4 cups may seem daunting, this writer was kind of sorry when the task was accomplished, as I was just getting the hang of it and had become a shredding machine.
The multiple flavors of the dish also go beyond a “normal” salad: agave, roasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, as well as cayenne and red pepper flakes for a little unexpected, mildly pleasant heat. Use Lacinato kale (aka Dinosaur or Tuscan kale), which is characterized by its dark green pigment, narrow leaves, and bumpy texture. It also tends to be a bit sweeter than curly kale. The funny thing is that the variety is called Dinosaur kale because it resembles that of a dinosaur’s skin-- never mind that no one has ever seen or knows what that looks like, only their bones; same with how they sounded, though the movies have made everything assume otherwise!
Jacob Baxter is a member of Melissa’s team supporting our largest client in the Midwest. He is embedded in that client’s headquarters along with another Melissa’s team member, as well as three other team members spread across both the Midwest and other parts of the country to service this account cohesively.
“Together we work with the goal of growing the account by getting as many Melissa’s items in stores as possible. The challenge for me is that, being embedded in the company’s main office, I cannot help but become friends and even golfing buddies with my customer. Sure, that is a good thing in building relationships; it is also a fun challenge working very close and knowing a little “too much” about the customer, unlike the normal phone customer-supplier relationships of this business. It’s almost like working for two companies, but that also convinces the client of my honesty and dedication to providing what’s best for the company’s needs. It’s a fun and challenging borderline I must walk daily.”
When not working that tightrope, Jacob is passionate about golf. In fact, when asked who he would invite to his own table for a meal, of course, it was Scotty Shepard, currently the best golfer on the planet. He figures they would talk into the night about golf and their shared Christianity.
Roasted Fall Squash Salad
Servings: 6
Ingredients
For the salad
2 TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small butternut squash, halved, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch half-circles
2 TBS Agave
½ cup raw pepitas
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 head Lacinato kale, shredded
4 cups Brussels Sprouts, shredded
2 containers Melissa’s Arils (option: arils from 1 pomegranate)
½ cup shredded Gouda cheese
For the Pomegranate Vinaigrette
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 TBS fresh sage, chopped
1/4 cup pomegranate juice
?2 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 TBS Agave
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Preparation
On a baking sheet, toss together the butternut squash, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the squash is tender.
Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the pepitas, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, the cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Arrange in a single layer. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees or until the pepitas are toasted. Watch closely!
Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine the kale, brussels sprouts, arils.
For the vinaigrette: Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and sage, cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly. Add the pomegranate juice, balsamic vinegar, and honey. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.
Pour the vinaigrette over the salad, tossing to combine. Add the roasted squash, gently tossing.
Plating: Top the salad with toasted pepitas and cheese. Eat and enjoy!
Chef notes
To Make Ahead: This salad can be made and assembled through combining the greens, arils, and roasted squash, but leave the vinaigrette, seeds, and cheese out. Store the bowl of greens in the fridge, covered, and keep the seeds, cheese, and vinaigrette separate. Then, just before serving, warm the vinaigrette and toss the salad together.
Leftovers: leftovers will keep well for 2-3 days. This salad is delicious warmed or chilled.
Enjoy!
