Caramelized Squash Salad

The butternut squash cleans up very nicely after its bath in the marinade!

Yield:
4 as a meal, 6 as a primo course
Category:
Salads and Dressings
Cuisine:
American
Prep Time:
20 min
Cooking Time:
1 hrs 0 min
Total Time:
1 hrs 20 min

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup orange juice
  • 3 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon-style mustard (grainy worked too)
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ pounds butternut squash
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 6 cups spring mix salad greens
  • ½ cup roasted salted pistachio nuts
  • 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS:

  1. For the marinade, in a small bowl stir together the orange juice, maple syrup, mustard and ginger. Set aside a 1/2 cup of the marinade. Halve the squash lengthwise, seed it and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips. Place butternut squash pieces in a large resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the squash. Seal the bag; marinate, refrigerated, for 1 to 4 hours, turning bag at least once.
  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Drain marinade from squash, discarding marinade. Place squash on the prepared baking sheet. Roast squash until tender and lightly browned in spots, 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven; set aside.
  3. For dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the reserved marinade, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in the oil. Drizzle 3 to 4 tablespoons of dressing over the squash; toss to combine. In a large bowl combine the mixed greens, radicchio, and half of the pistachios. Toss with half the dressing. Gently toss roasted squash into the salad. Top with remaining pistachios and goat cheese. If serving as a meal, add chunks of cooked chicken, ham or charcuterie. You may like to increase the amounts of nuts and cheese as well.
  4. In a large salad bowl, gently toss the greens mixture with roasted squash and garnish with remaining pistachios and goat cheese, if desired. Pass remaining dressing.

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