OK. There is a good reason I named this blog 'The Healthy NUT.' I am just a little crazy and this post may prove it. I have had almost no desire to cook much lately, relying on easy summery recipes that require a minimum of time in the kitchen. We eat lots of salads and fresh veggies, chicken and fish.
Recently a friend e-mailed me asking for some recipe ideas for a bumper crop of sage. I suddenly had a burning desire to make something I could garnish with fried sage. Usually I make vegetarian cassoulet or bean soup in the fall and both recipes are enhanced by the frizzled sage on top. But who wants to make a meal like that in August.
Today while in the market, I spotted a butternut squash -already peeled and cubed. A recipe was forming in my (crazy) brain. I added a package of crumbled gorgonzola to the basket and I knew what we were having for dinner.
Perhaps it was the 13 inches of rain that fell on us in 24 hours that gave me a yen for comfort food, but this is what I cooked up tonight.
Today's Take-away
Sage - It's not just for Thanksgiving anymore!
Recently a friend e-mailed me asking for some recipe ideas for a bumper crop of sage. I suddenly had a burning desire to make something I could garnish with fried sage. Usually I make vegetarian cassoulet or bean soup in the fall and both recipes are enhanced by the frizzled sage on top. But who wants to make a meal like that in August.
Today while in the market, I spotted a butternut squash -already peeled and cubed. A recipe was forming in my (crazy) brain. I added a package of crumbled gorgonzola to the basket and I knew what we were having for dinner.
Perhaps it was the 13 inches of rain that fell on us in 24 hours that gave me a yen for comfort food, but this is what I cooked up tonight.
Quinoa Risotto With Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Leaves and Gorgonzola
Olive Oil
4 cloves ofGarlic
1 Onion
A handful of fresh sage
1 cup tricolor quinoa
2&1/2 cups of water or broth
salt
pepper
2 cups of cubed winter squash
1 cup of gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Coat the squash with olive oil and bake in 400 oven for about 30 minutes.
Heat a generous amount of olive oil and fry the sage leaves quickly. Remove from the heat when they are crispy and drain on a paper towel.
In the same pan, heat more oil (a tablespoon) cook the onion for 3-4 minutes add garlic and quinoa. cook for 3-4 minutes until quinoa starts to jump around in the pan. Slowly add water or broth, 1/4 cup at a time and stir as you would risotto. Keep stirring and adding the water. This will take about 25-30 minutes for the quinoa to cook.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat and fold in the gorgonzola and the roasted squash. Garnish with the sage.
I served this with a straight- from- the- garden -yellow- tomato- and -basil - salad and a simple dressing. Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste.
Anyone who has read my recipes before knows that I like a recipe that can be changed up with whatever is on hand. I can envision this working with asparagus and goat cheese or sun-dried tomatoes and parmesan cheese.
Today's Take-away
Sage - It's not just for Thanksgiving anymore!
