Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage

 

Wise spice with butter 

Roasting heavenly delight 

Sweet, nutty, earthy 

I am excited that fall is finally here…which means I can switch my obsession from corn to squash.  This was a really simple dish, but turned out wonderfully.  First, I cut up squash into cubes, threw it on a baking sheet with a little olive oil and salt, and baked for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees, or until tender.

Meanwhile, I started the brown butter.  It’s really easy to make, and it has a more complex flavor than regular butter.  I placed the butter into a pan over moderate heat, and stirred continuously until it changed color and started to smell nutty and delicious.  At the end, I added a few tablespoons of chopped sage, and tossed with the squash.  Sometimes simple really is better. 

 

Corn and Heirloom Tomato Salad

 

Corn salad, again?

Yes!  I’ve decided to join

People of the corn

 

Okay, is it obvious I’m on a corn kick?  Maybe it’s from watching Children of the Corn one too many times as a child, but there really is nothing like fresh corn.   Since the summer season is winding down, I made sure to buy what’s probably the last of the corn and heirloom tomatoes at the farmers’ market for quite a while.  I made a simple salad by adding scallions, cilantro, Cotija cheese, olive oil, lemon juice, and a little salt.  Yum.

Beef Rendang with Green Been Sambal and Coconut Rice

Malaysian food, yes! 

Rich, tender, fragrant beef stew 

With spicy green beans

I’m reporting back on my mediocre Asian cooking curse, and I'm deeply saddened to say that my shiny new cookbook did not remove my bad juju.  It wasn’t terrible, but normally when I eat Beef Rendang, I’m ooohing and aaahing with every bite.  Once again, it was just okay.  At least the Indonesian Green Beans and Coconut Rice were yummy.  Hmmm, maybe I need to take a cooking class in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia to break the spell.  Yeah, that's it!  Definitely a sign.

Green Bean Sambal

Adapted from Solomon’s The Complete Asian Cookbook

8 oz fresh green beans

1 Tbs Peanut Oil

½ t minced garlic

½ t sambal ulek (Indonesian Chili Paste)

½ t salt

1 small onion, finely diced

Cut beans in very fine diagonal slices.  Heat oil in pan and fry onions for a minute or two.  Toss beans on high heat for 1 minute.  Add garlic and fry 1 minute more.  Add sambal and salt and fry 1 more minute.