Recipe: Chef Ed Lightcap's Butternut Squash Lasagna

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 head butternut squash
2 cups creamed spinach (see below)
Sun-dried tomato vinaigrette (see below)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

To start:

1. Peel butternut squash and slice 1/4 thick and square off to 2-by-5-inches.
2. Place on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Place in a 400-degree oven and cook until tender but not mushy — approximately 10–12 minutes.
4. Let cool. This can be done ahead of time.

To assemble:

1. Reheat the butternut squash and the creamed spinach when ready to serve.
2. On four individual plates, place a slice of the roasted squash on the plate and top with a generous spoon of creamed spinach. Top with another layer of butternut and creamed spinach, then top with one more slice of butternut squash.
3. Drizzle each plate with sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. *If you want to get fancy, you can top with thinly sliced fried leeks.

Creamed Spinach Ingredients:

1 ½ lbs baby spinach
¾ cup whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
½ ea small onion, finely chopped
¼ ea stick unsalted butter
2 tbs all-purpose flour
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste

Creamed Spinach Method:

1. Cook spinach in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes, until just wilted.
2. Drain and run under cold water until it is cool. This will stop it from cooking and also help to keep it green. Squeeze out all the water and chop.
3. Heat milk and cream in a sauce pan until warm.
4. In a 3 qt heavy sauce pan, melt butter over moderate heat, add 1/4 stick butter and cook onions for 3 minutes until soft, whisk in flour and cook roux for 3 minutes.
5. Add milk and cream mixture to the roux in a quick steam while whisking to prevent lumping. Cook over moderate heat while continuing to whisk until it thickens, approximately 3–4 minutes.
6. Add spinach, pinch of nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette Ingredients:

2 ea Sun-dried tomato halves, pack in oil
1 ½ tbs Balsamic vinegar
½ Clove garlic
1/3 cup Olive oil
1 tbs Fresh basil

Butternut Squash Lasagna Method:

1. In a blender add tomato, vinegars, garlic and basil and puree the until smooth.
2. Slowly add the oil to make emulsified vinaigrette.

~This recipe comes to us courtesy of Rowdy Hall, rowdyhall.com