Kabocha and Winter Greens with Date and Olive Dressing
I really like the crisp texture and slightly bitter flavor of winter greens, especially with it is paired with the sweetness of kabocha and dates. If you prefer, you can always switch out the escarole and radicchio with mixed baby greens or baby kale.
The kabocha can always be substituted with butternut squash or kuri squash. Because kuri and kabocha both have tough, inedible skins, I find it easier to cut the squash into strips, then peel each strip, instead of trying to peel it whole. The skin of the butternut is edible, but feel free to peel it if you don’t like the texture. The garlic is wrapped up and baked off with the squash, so make sure the sheet tray is big enough so it doesn’t get overcrowded.
Drizzle a touch of evoo to the exposed garlic cloves, replace the top half, and wrap in foil to roast off. You can use this technique to roast garlic off and spread on toast with a little flaked sea salt…mmmmmmmm!
You will probably have leftover dressing, which you can toss into wild rice to make a quick pilaf, or swirl into hummus and sprinkle with any leftover pumpkin seeds.
I was up in Portland a few years back and spent the afternoon in the Powell’s City of Books Bookstore…which is heaven! The dressing recipe is loosely based on a recipe I found in one of their many cookbooks, but, for the life of me, I can’t remember which one it is.
If you don’t care for pumpkins seeds, sub with pecans, hazelnuts, sliced almonds. Just be sure to toast them off for maximum nutty flavor.
Kabocha and Winter Greens with Date and Olive Dressing
Yield: 4 servings
Kabocha and roasted garlic
¼ kabocha squash
2 tsp evoo
8 grinds of fresh black pepper
½ Tsp kosher salt
1 head garlic
1 tsp evoo
Pumpkin seeds
¼ cup raw pumpkin seeds
Dressing
½ small shallot
1Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 lemon - zested
3 Tbsp lemon juice
8-10 castelvetrano olives
6 medjool dates
¼ cup evoo
¼ tsp kosher salt
Winter greens, etc.
½ head of escarole
½ head of radicchio
14 oz can of butter beans
For the Kabocha
1. Preheat oven to 475F
2. Cut the kabocha squash into quarters. Remove the seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut squash into slices and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut slices into 1 1/2” chunks.
3. Place kabocha chunks on a silicone/parchment-lined sheet tray and toss with evoo, salt, and pepper.
4. Cut head of garlic in half horizontally, so you have a top and a bottom, and place on a piece of foil. Add 1 tsp evoo on the exposed garlic cloves. Place the top half back on the bottom, close up the foil around the garlic, and place on the sheet tray amongst the kabocha. Bake kabocha and garlic for 25-30 minutes.
5. When the kabocha is done, remove from the oven and cool at room temperature.
For the pumpkin seeds
1. Reduce the oven temperature to 375F
2. Place the pumpkin seeds on a silicone/parchment-lined sheet tray and add the garlic wrapped in foil. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Some of the seeds will turn slightly brown and begin to pop when they are done. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature.
For the dressing
1. Finely mince the shallots and add to a bowl with sherry vinegar, lemon juice, and zest. Stir to combine.
2. Remove the pits from the olives by placing the side of your chef knife blade on each olive and firmly tap with the heel of your hand to flatten the olive. Pick out pit and finely chop the olive meat. Add to shallots.
3. Remove pits from the dates and chop into small chunks
4. Remove head of garlic from foil and squeeze out the garlic cloves. Chop garlic cloves and add to shallots.
5. Add evoo and salt. Stir to combine
For the winter greens, etc. and assembly
1. Chop winter greens into 2” chunks, wash, and spin dry in a salad spinner. Add to your salad bowl.
2. Add a drained and rinsed 14oz can of butter beans.
3. Add the cooled kabocha squash and about ¼ cup dressing. Gently toss. Taste to for salt. Add more dressing if you like and serve.
4. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!
