Rush Hour Gourmet: Butternut Caesar Salad

February 09, 2012|By J.M. Hirsch, Associated Press
  • MATTHEW MEAD / AP

No matter how delicious a Caesar salad is, chilly temperatures tend to be a turnoff for things leafy and green. So I decided to tinker with the basics of this classic, bulking it up with roasted cubes of butternut squash. Add some freshly made croutons and it's a perfect vegetarian dinner.

 

Butternut Caesar Salad

Makes 4 servings

For the squash:

20-ounces peeled and cubed butternut squash

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

For the croutons:

10 ounces rustic bread, cut into croutons (about 4 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

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For the dressing:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic

4 anchovy fillets

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the squash with the oil, toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to one half of the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, place the bread cubes in the same bowl, then drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt, pepper and the garlic powder. Set aside.

4. To make the dressing, in a blender, combine the olive oil, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, Dijon, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

5. After the squash has roasted for 10 minutes, put the bread cubes on the other half of the baking sheet. Return to the oven for 20 minutes more. Remove the squash and bread from the oven and set aside until warm, but not hot.

6. Put the romaine in a large bowl, drizzle with a bit of the dressing, and toss. Divide between serving plates. Top each serving with squash and croutons, drizzle with the remaining dressing, and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Per serving: 745 calories, 26 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams sugar, 48 grams fat, 47 milligrams cholesterol, 2,191 milligrams sodium, 6 grams dietary fiber

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