Charred Pepper Steak Sauce & Warm Citrus Butternut Squash Salad

 

We had a friend over for dinner the other night and I had planned on making the butternut squash for Joshua and I and then added in the steaks when we invited the friend over. I'm not a huge fan of meat, especially plain meat so I looked up some sauces and settled upon this charred pepper sauce which I now may make once a week. It was really simple but had a big depth of flavor.

 

But the showstopper was the butternut squash dish! It was definitely a wower. The texture, subtle citrus and roasted flavors all worked together so well in this dish. I almost started eating it off of other people's plates. It also plates so pretty which in my opinion also earns it points :)

 

 

Warm Citrus Butternut Squash Salad:

adapted from here

serves 3-4 as a side dish (2 as a main dish)

 

2 lb butternut squash; remove rind and seeds and slice it

7-8 brussels sprouts; peel off leaves

1 14.5 oz. can cannellini beans; rinsed

handful of parsley

2-3 carrots; diced

1 lemon; reserve zest and juice

3 cloves garlic; minced

1 shallot; diced

1 tsp curry powder

S&P

 

1   preheat oven to 500 degrees F and place sliced squash on a baking sheet

2   drizzle squash with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little cayenne

3   roast 20-25 minutes, the tops should brown, flip the slices halfway through while the squash is roasting:

4   grind the garlic in a mortal & pestle into a paste

5   in a small bowl mix 2 tbs lemon zest, half of the garlic paste, and a generous amount of parsley

6   stir in a few tbs of olive oil to bring it all together, this is the gremolata

7   heat a few tbs of olive oil in a skillet and add the shallot, remaining garlic paste for about 30 seconds

8   then add the carrot and curry powder, sauté for a few minutes

9   add the beans and a 1/2 cup water, season with S&P

10 cook until the liquid has mostly reduced, 5-6 minutes

11 remove from heat, mash some of the beans with the back of a fork and put on plates

12 in a small bowl mix brussels sprout leaves with a tbs of lemon juice and a little olive oil

13 divide the roasted squash onto the beans, put on a scoop of gemolata and a sprinkling of brussels sprouts, finish with a little bit of lemon juice

 

 

Charred Pepper Steak Sauce:

adapted from here

 

1 red bell pepper

1 yellow pepper
 2/3 cup fire roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup orange juice
 2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground mustard seed
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

 

1   set your oven to broil and put in your peppers

2   rotate them every 5 minutes and broil until they are charred on all sides, 10-15 minutes

3   remove the seeds and stems from the peppers, keep the skin on

4   slice peppers and place in food processor with remaining ingredients

5   puree the mixture well and then transfer to a pot

6   simmer the mixture on low for 10-15 minutes

7   place back in food processor and puree until it is as smooth as you can get it

8   drizzle it all over a good steak

ALSO I put this in with our extra butternut squash and ate it for lunch- great decision! I think I'll make this charred sauce for a vegetable dish soon, it is really a great versatile sauce and sure to impress)