It took Food Guy Greg Patent a long time to warm up to winter squash, but now he's such a squash-champion, he incorporated it into a salad recipe. Winter squashes are excellent roasted. Their natural sugars caramelize in a hot oven to lend a terrific umami oomph to not only the squash but to the beets and potatoes that join them in this recipe. Greg writes:
Rather than just enjoying the roasted vegetables solo as a side dish, I decided to turn them into salad stars by uniting them with earthy arugula. I find arugula to be a worthy mate to winter squashes and other root vegetables because these foods all sport strong flavors that complement each other.
Any salad with winter squash needs a tart dressing. So be sure that there’s enough acid in the vinaigrette. I’ve given specific amounts in the recipe, but please taste carefully and adjust it to suit you.
And, if you want to add some meat to the salad, or serve this dish as a salad, then I think a beautifully roasted chicken would be just the ticket. Bon Appétit!
Roasted Winter Squash, Beets and Potato Salad with Arugula
Makes 6 servings.
Beets take longer to cook until tender than most root vegetables, so I like to cook them partway before roasting with the squash and potatoes.
Just a reminder: The dressing for the salad should be on the tart side because the beets and squash are quite sweet.
The vegetables
2 medium to large beets (about 1 pound total, fully trimmed)
1 pound peeled and trimmed winter squash—butternut or sunshine), cut into 1-inch chunks
¾ to 1 pound small potatoes, unpeeled, halved
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 ½ teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Arugula salad
4 to 6 cups cleaned arugula, loosely measured (4 to 6 ounces by weight)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine or champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more if needed
? teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed
1 to 2 tablespoons minced shallots
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Wrap the beets snugly in foil. Put the beet package on a baking sheet in a 400-degree F. oven for about 30 minutes, until a sharp knife meets some resistance when piercing the beets. Cool the beets, still wrapped, about 30 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets and cut them into 8 wedges each. (Beets may be prepped a day ahead and refrigerated).
2.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large (17-by-12-inch) rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the beets, squash, and potatoes onto the foil and add the olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, and toss well to combine. Spread vegetables in a single layer and baked about 30 minutes until tender. Set aside while you make the arugula salad.
3. Put the arugula into a large salad bowl. To make the dressing, in a medium bowl whisk together well the olive oil, sherry vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and/or pepper and vinegar. The dressing should be tart. Stir in the shallot and parsley.
4. When ready to serve, dress arugula with most of the dressing and toss well. Arrange roasted vegetables on top and drizzle remaining dressing over the vegetables. Toss carefully and gently and serve.
(Broadcast: "The Food Guys," 11/18/18. Listen weekly on the radio at 11:50 a.m. Sundays, or via podcast.)