regina mandell studio
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recipes

autumn salad

In Athens, Georgia it is squash season and recently, in an effort to keep a wide array of foods in my diet, I picked up a Red Kuri squash in my local CSA. Honestly I as far as I know I have never eaten it before and surely wasn’t familiar with it by name.

Once I had this pretty little gourd sitting on my kitchen counter I started doing some recipe research to help inspire a meal and came across a dish so lovely I had to share it. This hearty Fall salad was originally posted on Heartbeet Kitchen and has so many of my favorite ingredients and flavors.

Red Kuri squash is similar to butternut but has a bit more intensity when it comes to flavor along with a denser texture. The skin of Red Kuri is edible, so no need to peel unless you prefer it without. And you could absolutely sub any squash (though I might not go with Spaghetti Squash - that’s just my personal opinion) as an accompaniment to this dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sized red kuri squash seeds removed

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil divided

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided

  • 1/2 head of curly kale de-stemmed and cut into very thin pieces

  • 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin

  • 1/4 teaspoon harissa powder, or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

  • 1/2 cup roasted marcona almonds or cashews, coarsely chopped

LEMON TAHINI SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup tahini

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup hot water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

  • Cut squash in vertical pieces, about 1/2 inch thick. Place in a baking dish and coat with olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

  • Bake squash for 30-35 minutes, turning once, until squash is tender.

  • Meanwhile, massage kale for 5 minutes with hands, adding 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, harissa, and 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice. Set aside.

  • Whisk all sauce ingredients together, and set aside.

  • When all components are ready, add to a large bowl. Pour sauce over the top, and gently toss and coat with your hands. Plate, and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Regina Mandell