Butternut Squash & White Bean Salad

Different vegetables have different cooking times. Take butternut squash. The brilliant firm skin
takes longer to roast then sweet thin onions. Oh how wonderful and warming they taste with buttery smooth beans in a winter salad. The trick to roasting them in harmony on one tray is to stagger their cooking times and temperatures. The technique allows longer cooking ingredients to roast along side others. Finish with fresh herbs, sage, rosemary, thyme or mint for color and freshness.

Butternut Squash & White Bean Salad

1 lb of butternut squash, skin removed and cubed 3/4"
1 tsp white wine (optional)
1 tsp water
2 tsp olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half moons
3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
2 cans of cannelloni beans
1 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp fresh chopped herbs (sage, rosemary, mint or thyme)
salt and oil to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Toss the first 8 ingredients on a large roasting dishes. Slide a finger across the bottom of the dish to sample the flavor, and adjust to taste. Roast for 15 minutes. The liquid will evaporate, this lightly steams the squash.

Squash is lightly steamed before faster cooking onions are added

Add onions and stir. Increase temperature of to 450 degrees. Roast for another 15 minutes until onions are transparent and beginning to brown. Add chopped garlic, stir and roast for 5 more minutes. Check the squash at this point, it should be tender but not falling apart. Place under broiler for 3-5 minutes stirring once. Keeping a eye on the onions they go from roasted brown to burning black quickly. Remove from oven.

Meanwhile mix beans, vinegar, and fresh herbs in a bowl. Add roasted vegetables and immediately stir. The heat of the squash will lightly wilt the herbs, bringing out their flavors. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and salt to taste.

Tender butternut orange

Thanks to Food2.com for re-posting this.