Roasted butternut squash salad with balsamic vinaigrette, arugula, almonds and goat cheese. This makes the perfect start for a dinner party, or a romantic dinner for two.
Course Appetizer, Salad
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Butternut Squash, Starter, Valentine's Day
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 35 minutesminutes
Total Time 50 minutesminutes
Servings 2servings
Author Chef's Notes
Ingredients
Roasted Butternut Squash
The bulb of a butternut squash
2tbspolive oil
Salt and Pepper
Balsamic Vinaigrette
2tbspBalsamic vinegar
1/2tspmustard powder
1tsphoney
1/4tspsalt
Pinchof pepper
1/2cupcanola oil
Roasted Squash Salad
4cupsof arugula
1/4cupssliced almonds
1/4cupof goat cheese
Instructions
Roasted Butternut Squash
Cut the squash bulb in half through the middle. Remove the seeds and peel it. Slice the squash into 1 cm slices.
Put the squash slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Roast the squash in a 400°f oven for 35 minutes of until the squash is soft and slighty brown around the edges. Take the sqaush out of the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
In a medium mixing bowl combine the mustard powder, salt, pepper, honey, and balsamic vinegar.
Whisk in the canola oil in a slow steady stream. If you notice that the oil isn't mixing in, stop adding oil, and whisk until it has been incorporated then continue to whisk in more oil.
The finished dressing should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Once the dressing is made, transfer it to a jar and put it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
Roasted Squash Salad
Put the arugula in a large mixing bowl and toss with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the balsamic vinaigrette. You want just enough dressing to goat the arugula, but not so much that it is drowning.
Get to small round plates and palce the roasted squash in a circle around the center of the plates. Put the dressed arugual in a pile in the center of the squash circle.
Divide the almonds and goat cheese among the two salads. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.