Rooted Kitchen
Delicata Squash, Apples & Radicchio in Pecan Vinaigrette
Book of Hours II, 16
How surely gravity’s law, strong as an ocean current, takes hold of even the strongest thing and pulls it toward the heart of the world.
Each thing –each stone, blossom, child –is held in place. Only we, in our arrogance, push out beyond what we belong to for some empty freedom.
If we surrendered to earth’s intelligence we could rise up rooted, like trees.
Instead we entangle ourselves in knots of our own making and struggle, lonely and confused.
So, like children, we begin again to learn from the things, because they are in God’s heart; they have never left him.
This is what the things can teach us: to fall, patiently to trust our heaviness.Even a bird has to do that before he can fly.
-Rainer Maria Rilke from Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, trans. Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy
“Over the next several years my curiosity leads me on a journey to attempt to answer the question of why? Why is it so gratifying to bring home a basket of wild foods from the woods? What is that guttural satisfaction I get from cooking over the fire? Why is paying attention to the natural rhythms of the earth and its seasons so important? Why do I crave rich and hearty roasts and roots in the winter and live at the vines of my raspberries in summer? What is it about being outside that makes me feel so good?
As I ask myself these questions I’m paying attention in a way I never have. This noticing is overwhelming me with gratitude. I sit at my window and watch the leafless lilac tree, bare, lichen covered branches in the winter. As the frigid evenings warm enough to bring spring rains I start to notice the leaves forming. Soon the tender buds form, inching their way toward becoming full blown blossoms. I’ve noticed her all year; resting, growing, tending, waiting, bursting with life and now here she stands in a radiance that takes on a whole new meaning through my daily attendance to her growth. In a couple of weeks her flowers shrivel and brown and the process continues. But in the kitchen I’ve captured this moment through a steaming cup of lilac tea and lilac sugar with dried petals that will adorn cookies, cakes and scones all year long. I baked her fragrant blossoms into a cake while still leaving plenty on the tree for the hummingbirds to enjoy. What a sweet gift to come from paying attention. This reciprocal interaction of awareness, gratitude and cake has deepened my relationship to this particular tree that lives in my front yard.”
The words above are from the introduction of my upcoming cookbook, Rooted Kitchen. It feels surreal to be at the part in the journey where I get to start sharing pieces of this book with you. I first wrote a version of the words above three years ago, when this idea for a book was just a seed starting to take root. This idea grew in me as I bravely inquired into my curiosities. I imagine myself walking on a tidy path in the woods. It’s paved with gravel and clearly marked. Something off the path is calling me and for a while I stay dutifully on the path, until I can no longer ignore the voices luring me into the wild, deeper into myself. This book is a result of trusting that voice and trekking into the unknown.
While it is very much a cookbook, with over 80 seasonal recipes, it’s an invitation to look at food as a way of deepening your connection with the natural world. There are lessons in foraging for wild greens and mushrooms, tips for preserving the seasons and its bounty, and essays for connecting with what the earth teaches as she turns. And here is the stunning cover!!:
There will be much more said about this book but for now I’m sharing a never before seen recipe! Also, below, I’ll post where you can pre-order the book. This is a HUGE deal for authors and is absolutely one of the best ways you can support the release of a new book. If you do pre-order (THANK YOU SO MUCH!!) hold on to your proof of purchase as I’ll be launching a pre-order bonus that you’ll definitely want to take advantage of. Watch for that in the next couple of months.
I made this salad for an event last week and the raves made me blush. It will be a staple on many holiday tables throughout the season. It’s actually hearty enough to be a meal in and of itself.
Delicata Squash, Apples & Radicchio in Pecan Vinaigrette
Serves 4
For me, delicata is the squash that wins my affection. It’s perfectly sweet and the flesh is tender, not stringy, but what really makes me swoon is there is no need for the near-deadly hacking and skin peeling that is required with most other squashes and pumpkins. While they are indeed worth the effort, I will most often reach for the delicata, when a weeknight squash craving hits.
This salad marries sweetness and bitterness with a mix of sweet squash and tart apples in a creamy dressing that cuts through radicchio’s bite. The sharp Cheddar and well-toasted pecans add bite and heft, making this salad almost a meal.
1 medium delicata squash (1 to 1 1/2 pounds), halved lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
2/3 cup chopped pecans
Creamy pecan vinaigrette
1 small shallot, diced
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 small radicchio, coarsely cut into 1-inch-wide ribbons
1 large tart apple, such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, or Granny Smith, thinly sliced
4 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese (about 1 cup), crumbled
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 13 x 18 - inch baking sheet [FS(1] [AR2] [AR3] with parchment paper.
Cut the squash into half-moons about 1/2 inch thick. Arrange the squash on the lined pan and toss with the oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Spread the squash in a single layer and roast until caramelized and tender in parts, 25 to 30 minutes, flipping the squash over halfway through the roasting time. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.Reduce the heat to 350°F for toasting the pecans.
Add the pecans to a baking sheet, then toast them in the oven until they are fragrant and their color has darkened, 7 to 9 minutes. Divide the pecans in half, saving 1/3 cup for the dressing and the other 1/3 cup for the salad.
Make the creamy pecan vinaigrette: In a food processor, combine the shallots and 1/3 cup pecans and pulse until finely minced. Add the honey, mustard, vinegar, and cream and pulse until well combined. With the processor running, drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing can be kept refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. When ready to serve, thin with a little more oil, cream, or water if it has thickened; it should be substantial and creamy yet pourable.
Place the radicchio ribbons in a medium bowl. Add the dressing and toss well to combine. Add half of these ingredients: the squash, apple, Cheddar, and half of the remaining 1/3 cup pecans and toss well. Spread the salad on a serving platter and top with the remaining squash, apple, Cheddar, and pecans. Serve right away.
Preorder ROOTED KITCHEN!
Also, I wanted to share a recent podcast episode in which I’m in conversation with Shelby Stanger, author of Will to Wild. We talk about our mutual love of getting people outside, cooking over the fire, wild foods, and seeking awe.
Find the episode of Wild Ideas Worth Living from REI, wherever you listen to podcasts or through this link: http://pod.link/1183017174
Can’t wait to try this recipe, I love delicata squash!
Pre-ordered! :)