Butternut Squash

Every autumn, I seemed to be obsessed with butternut squash. I don’t think I’m alone because I keep getting notices from Pinterest that a pin I got from Simply Recipes on cutting butternut squash has been repinned about a hundred times. People out there must be cutting up oodles of butternut squash! With that in mind, I came up with this fall dinner dish that is full of seasonal flavors. It’s just as scrumptious as it is colorful! Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the meat and rub:

1 to 2 pound pork loin

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or put through a press

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

3 pieces of cooking twine, each about 5 inches long

For the stuffing:

1 small butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

sprinkle of salt

sprinkle of pepper

1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cubed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1 tablespoon dried cranberries

1 clove garlic, minced or put through a press

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

For the braised red cabbage:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 medium red cabbage, cored and shredded

1 Granny Smith Apple, peeled and cubed

Juice of 1 orange (about 1/2 cup)

1/4 cup red vinegar

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 pinch ground cloves

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the ends off of the squash and use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin. Cut the squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Then cut each squash half again, separating the “bowl” from the top part. Cut both “bowls” and both top parts into 1/2 inch wide lengthwise strips. Then cut the strips into square cubes. Place on a foil covered baking sheet, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Bake 20 minutes to give the squash pieces a head start on getting tender once they are part of the tenderloin stuffing.

While the squash is partially baking, prepare the tenderloin and stuffing. Trim fat away from the tenderloin and “butterfly” it by cutting it down the middle lengthwise, but not going all the way through to keeping it in one piece. Set aside.

To prepare rub for the tenderloin, place 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, kosher salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons sage in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.

When the butternut squash has baked for 2o minutes place a heaping cup of it in a bowl. Add the 1/2 diced apple, 2 tablespoons sage, cranberries, salt, pepper, and garlic. Gently mix. Save the remaining squash for another use. ( For a link to a great autumn salad featuring butternut squash click HERE )

Open the butterflied pork loin up, and place the butternut squash mixture inside. Fold it back together, and use the 3 cooking twine pieces to tie the roast together. Take the rub paste and gently smear the outside of the pork loin. Make sure to get both the top and bottom covered. If any stuffing falls out during any part of this process, just tuck it back in. Place the pork loin on a foil covered baking sheet and place in the 350 degree oven. Bake for 1 hour or until a cooking thermometer inserted into the meat reads 160 degrees. Since this recipe calls for a 1 to 2 pound roast, that should be enough baking time. But – if you use a larger piece of meat such as 3 pounds – you will want to allot at least an hour and a half baking time.

While the pork loin is baking, prepare the braised red cabbage. Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil, onions, and carrot in a pan and saute over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds more. Then add the cabbage, apple cubes, orange juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and ground cloves. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes over medium low heat until the apples are tender when pierced with a fork. Keep warm until ready to serve.

After removing from the oven, allow the pork loin to sit for 10 minutes. Then gently cut the cooking twine and remove from the roast. Using a serrated knife, cut the tenderloin into 1 inch slices.

Put about 3/4 cup of the braised red cabbage on each serving plate. Top with slices of the stuffed pork tenderloin.

Being from the Midwest, I’ve only gotten the chance to eat at a True Food Kitchen twice. The southwestern area restaurant chain was started by Dr. Andrew Weil, who thought the super healthy food he cooked at home was tasty enough that others would love it too. He was right because anyone I’ve ever talked to that has visited one of his restaurants has raved about it. Since my post on a copy cat version of True Food Kitchen’s Inside Out Quinoa Burger is the most visited post on this blog, I decided it was time to share my “Almost” Autumn Ingredient Salad. The real one includes dried mulberries and dried pomegranate seeds, but they are pricey and hard to find. I just used dried cranberries and they make a good substitute. At any rate, this salad is a great side dish and the dressing works well any kind of veggie or salad.

Ingredients for the Salad and Dressing

1 medium butternut squash

1 medium head cauliflower

1 pound Brussels sprouts

1 (15 oz.) can white beans such as Great Northern or Cannelloni

2 tablespoons olive oil (For roasting veggies)

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 tablespoons dried cranberries

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with foil. Cut off the cap and base of the squash, cut it lengthwise down the middle, and scoop out the seeds. Remove the skin by using a vegetable peeler. Lay both pieces of the squash on a cutting board and cut each in half, separating the neck from the rounded bottom. Then cut each of the four large pieces into two inch wide strips. Finally, cut each strip into squares. Spread the pieces on one of the baking sheets. Wash the cauliflower, cut into florets, and put them on one side of the second baking sheet. Wash the Brussels Sprouts, cut off the tough woody part of the base, and if they are large, cut them in half down the middle. Place them next to the cauliflower on the baking sheet. Drizzle the vegetables on both baking sheets with about a tablespoon of olive oil. Toss them around to make sure they are evenly coated and season with salt & pepper. Put both baking sheets in the oven for about an hour or until the vegetables pierce easily with a fork and are slightly browned.

Meanwhile whisk together the 1/2 cup of olive oil, vinegar, green onions, dried cranberries, horseradish, salt, red pepper flakes. Set aside. Rinse, drain, and put the beans in a microwave safe bowl.

When the vegetables are done, take them out of the oven. Warm up the beans for about a minute in the microwave. Then, place the beans, squash, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the top and gently toss.