Butternut Squash au Gratin

Butternut Squash au gratin:

4 butternut squash, peeled, necks only (save the butts for soup), sliced on your mandolin 1/8" thick

6 shallots, sliced, carmelized

1 bu fresh sage, chiffonade

1 1/2 c parmesan

1 pint (you heard me) whipping cream (OK you wuss, you can sub 1/2 and 1/2)

shitloads of salt and pepper

1 c fresh breadcrumbs

1/2 c walnuts

4 T butter, melted

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Heat oven to 400 F

Layer in this order: squash (overlapping), shallots, parmesan, sage, salt and pepper, drizzled cream. Repeat until you're out of ingredients. Top with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hours or until squash is soft.

While squash is in the oven, add crumbs, walnuts, and melted butter to your food processer. Pulse until texture is consistent.

When squash is soft, remove from oven, remove foil and spread crumb topping over the top of the squash. Return to the oven for about 7 minutes or until topping is crispy and toasty brown.

This is my recollection of what I did. Hope I didn't forget anything. It was pretty awesome.

Beans and Greens Soup

This soup was unexpectedly good, especially considering I did not think about what I was doing when I made it and was on the phone leading a meeting.

1T olive oil
2 shallots, cut in half rings and caramelized in olive oil
3 large mushrooms, cut in ½" cubes, sautéed and slightly browned
2c veggie stock
¾ can cannelli (white) beans
3T minced Italian parsley
1c curly kale, cut in strips

Sautee shallots and mushrooms in olive oil until brown and squishy and caramelized
Add veggie stock and cannelli beans
Bring to an almost boil (just very hot)
Add parsley and kale, season and serve right away.

It made enough for me (but I ate a lot) and took 7 minutes.

Wild Mushrooms with Bacon and Orecchiette Pasta

This dish was created to show off some beautiful mushrooms I got at the farmer's market. I used Yellowfoot and Lobster mushrooms, but other wild mushrooms could be substitued. I wouldn't use button mushrooms from the supermaket for this dish though, the flavor will not be intense enough to carry the dish.

2 1/2 cups wild mushrooms brushed clean of dirt and ripped into uniform pieces
1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2c)
4 slices bacon cut into small pieces
3 ounces cream cheese
1 lb orecchiette pasta (farfalle will do if orecchiette cannot be found)
salt and pepper
8T chives, chopped

Set a large pot of water on to boil and boil the pasta for the recommended time on the package (until al dente). Strain (do not rinse) and reserve 1/4c of the pasta water. Place the hot pasta back into the pot with the reserved pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, fry the bacon until mostly crisp in a medium sautee pan. Set the bacon aside, pouring off all but 2T of the grease. Sautee the onion in the bacon grease. Once the onion becomes translucent, add the mushrooms and sautee until soft. Add the crisp bacon and set aside

Add the cream cheese to the hot, strained pasta and stir until melted. Add the mushroom and bacon mixture and stir until combined. Season to taste, pour into four bowls and garnish with 2T of chives per bowl.

Serves 4