Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash, approximately 21/4 pounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoon cold-pressed canola oil or olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for dressing
- 1/3 cup golden raisins
- 1/4 cup water, from a freshly boiled kettle
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- 4 ounce (about 3 cups) arugula and other salad leaves
- 1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
Preparation
Baking Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Don't bother to peel, but halve and seed the butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut each slice into four.
Put the butternut pieces into a bowl with the salt, spices, and 2 tablespoons oil and smoosh them about, then tip into a lipped baking sheet (lined with aluminum foil).
Don't clean the bowl yet.
Cook the squash for 30-40 minutes.
Check to see if it is cooked through by the time the ½ hour's up by piercing with a fork; some squashes cook faster than others.
Add the golden raisins to the spice-smeared bowl and cover with the freshly boiled water; once cooled, whisk in the vinegar and the 2 tablespoons oil that remain.
Put half of the salad leaves over a large plate or bowl and arrange the butternut pieces on top.
Sprinkle with the remaining salad leaves and the toasted pine nuts.
Scrape the raisin-studded dressing out of the bowl to dribble over it all, and toss gently before serving.
To make ahead: The butternut squash cubes can be roasted 1 day ahead.
Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
Remove from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving, to allow to come to room temperature.
Making leftovers: It may well be that you end up with a wee bit of salad leftover.
Frankly, you can eat this just as is (perhaps with a little lime juice spritzed over to freshen it up) or else cook some rice and stir this through just in time to warm through properly at the end of the cooking.
