Creamed spinach-stuffed squash

Active: 40 minutes; Total: 1 hour 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings 

Acorn squash; halved, seeded	2 large
Oil, olive	1 tablespoon
Salt, kosher	1 teaspoon +
Pepper, freshly ground	1 teaspoon +
Baby spinach	16 cups
Cream, heavy	2 ½ cup
Crème fraîche	¼ cup
Parmesan; grated	½ cup + ¼ cup

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Cut a thin sliver off the back side of each squash half to help it sit flat. 
3. Place the squash, cavity sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet. 
4. Drizzle evenly with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
5. Roast until just tender, about 40 minutes. 
6. Remove from oven; increase temperature to 475°F. 
7. Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. 
8. Add the spinach, one handful at a time; cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. 
9. Transfer the spinach to a fine wire-mesh strainer; let drain and cool for about 20 minutes. 
10. Wipe the saucepan clean. 
11. Squeeze the spinach with a clean kitchen towel to remove as much liquid as possible; coarsely chop and set aside. 
12. Scoop out about ¼ cup of the squash from each roasted half, leaving cavities with a ¼-inch to ½-inch-thick border of flesh. 
13. Finely chop the scooped squash. 
14. Bring the cream and chopped squash to a boil in the saucepan over medium heat, stirring often; reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. 
15. Add the spinach, and cook, stirring often, until thick and creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. 
16. Remove from heat. 
17. Stir in the crème fraîche and ½-cup Parmesan; season to taste. 
18. Spoon evenly divided mixture into the squash halves; sprinkle with remaining cheese. 
19. Bake until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown, 5 to 8 minutes. 
20. Serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food & Wine Annual 2025.

Baked sweet potatoes with maple dressing

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 55 minutes; Serves: 4

Sweet potatoes, preferably yellow	4 medium
Butter, unsalted; room temperature	2 tablespoons
Salt, fine sea
Crème fraîche	½ cup
Maple syrup	1 tablespoon
Lime juice, freshly squeezed	1 tablespoon
Fish sauce	2 teaspoons
Black pepper, freshly ground	½ teaspoon
Scallions, thinly sliced, both green and white parts	2 tablespoons
Pinenuts, roasted	2 tablespoons
Red chile flakes	1 teaspoon
Lime zest	½ teaspoon

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F. 
2. Rinse and scrub the potatoes under running tap water. 
3. Slice them lengthwise, and place them in a roasting pan, cut side facing up. 
4. Brush or smear with butter, and season with salt. 
5. Cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil and press around the edges to seal snugly. 
6. Bake for 20 minutes, remove the foil, flip the potatoes, and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked thoroughly and are tender. 
7. Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. 
8. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, maple syrup, lime juice, fish sauce, and pepper; season to taste with salt.
9. In another small bowl, combine the scallions, pine nuts, chile flakes, and lime zest.
10. To serve, top the warm roasted potatoes with a few tablespoons of the dressing, and sprinkle with the scallion-nut mixture. 

Recipe adapted from Food52.

Pumpkin alfredo with ricotta-stuffed manicotti

Pasta, manicotti	7 ounces
Oil, olive	1 teaspoon
Ricotta	1 cup
Mozzarella, shredded	¼ cup
Egg, lightly beaten	1 large
Basil, minced	3 leaves
Sage, minced	3 leaves + 3 leaves
Garlic, minced	1 clove + 2 cloves
Salt	¼ teaspoon +
Pepper, red, crushed	Pinch
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Shallot, minced	1
Pumpkin puree	¾ cup
Crème fraîche	2 tablespoons
Parmesan	¼ cup +
Nutmeg, freshly ground	Pinch
Pepper, freshly ground

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. 
3. Add the pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. 
4. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water; set aside. 
5. Drain the pasta, and toss with oil; set aside. 
6. In a small bowl, whisk together the ricotta, mozzarella, egg, basil, 3 sage leaves, garlic, salt, and red pepper. 
7. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stirring constantly, until it begins to foam and brown speckles begin to appear. 
8. Keep stirring until the foam subsides, and the color turns to a medium brown. 
9. Add the shallots and 2 garlic cloves, and turn down the heat to medium-low. 
10. Cook until the shallots have softened, about 1 minute. 
11. Stir in the pumpkin, 3 sage leaves, crème fraîche, parmesan, and ½-to-¾ cup of the reserved pasta water. 
12. Stuff each manicotti with spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture, and arrange in a 13-inch-by-9-inch casserole dish. 
13. Pour the sauce around and over the pasta, and cover with a sheet of foil. 
14. Bake for 15, remove the foil and sprinkle with more parmesan, then bake for 5 minutes more.

Coulibiac with dill sauce

Rice, long-grain white	½ cup
Butter, unsalted	2 tablespoons
Leeks, white & pale green parts only, minced	½ cup
Mushrooms, shiitake, stemmed, chopped	6 ounces
Salt
Pepper, freshly ground
Puff pastry, thawed	17 ¼ ounces
Salmon fillet, skinless, cut into 4 ounces pieces	24 ounces
Egg, beaten	1 large
Water	1 tablespoon
Clam juice	2/3 cup
Wine, dry white	½ cup
Crème fraîche	1 ¼ cups
Dill, fresh, minced	3 tablespoons

1. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. 
2. Add the rice; boil uncovered until just tender, about 18 minutes; drain. 
3. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. 
4. Add the leek and sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes, and then add the mushrooms. 
5. Cover the skillet, and cook until the mushrooms release their juices, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; uncover the skillet. 
6. Increase heat to medium-high, and sauté until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. 
7. Transfer to a bowl with the rice; season with salt and pepper, and cool completely. 
8. Butter a large baking sheet. 
9. Roll out one pastry sheet on a floured surface to 12-inch square; cut into four equal squares. 
10. Divide the rice mixture among the centers of each square, mounding in an oval shape with ends pointing toward two corners of the pastry. 
11. Set the salmon atop the rice, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
12. Bring the pastry corners up around the salmon (the pastry will not enclose the salmon completely). 
13. Roll out the remaining pastry on a floured surface to a 13-inch square. 
14. Cut into four equal squares. 
15. Lay one square atop each salmon fillet, tucking corners under the bottom pastry to enclose the salmon completely. 
16. Combine the egg and 1-tablespoon water in a small bowl. 
17. Pinch the edges together to seal, brushing with the egg wash, if necessary, to adhere. 
18. Arrange the salmon packages, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. 
19. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. (Can be made 8 hours in advance; keep chilled.) 
20. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
21. For the sauce, combine the clam juice and wine in a small saucepan. 
22. Boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 9 minutes. 
23. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the crème fraîche. 
24. Boil until reduce to 1 cup, about 5 minutes; remove from heat. 
25. Stir in the dill; season with salt and pepper. 
26. Brush the top of each pastry with the egg wash. 
27. Bake until golden and a thermometer inserted into the fish registers 145°F, about 30 minutes. 
28. Serve with the dill sauce and a glass of chilled champagne.

Tarte tatin

Puff pastry, all-butter	14 ounce
Butter, unsalted	½ cup
Sugar	¾ cup
Apples, braeburn, peeled, cored, halved lengthwise	12
Crème fraîche	Garnish

1. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. 
2. Cut out a 12-inch round, transfer to a baking sheet, and refrigerate (reserve the pastry scrapes for another use). 
3. In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter. 
4. Add the sugar, and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a simmer, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. 
5. Arrange the apple halves standing upright in the skillet in two snug concentric circles. 
6. Return to heat, and cook undisturbed until an amber caramel forms, about 30 minutes. 
7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 
8. Top the apples with the pastry, and bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender. 
9. Let cool for 15 minutes. 
10. Place a large plate on top of the skillet, and carefully invert the tart. 
11. Serve warm with crème fraîche. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, January 2016