It’s squash season! I’m not ashamed to incorporate this delectable winter vegetable into my diet in every way, shape, and form imaginable—at least for the next few months. Thankfully, there’s such a multitude of winter squash available at this time of year that I don’t get terribly bored. And just when I think I can’t handle cooking, eating, or even looking at another squash dish, along comes spring, with fresh shoots and leaves to free us from the winter doldrums!
Winter squash is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and B6, as well as a host of vital minerals. As a general rule, the deeper-colored the flesh, the higher the beta-carotene and nutrient content. Kale, another superfood, thrives and sweetens in frost-bitten weather. It becomes much less bitter at this time of year, making it the perfect accompaniment to soft, delicate squash.
This one-pot hash combines many textures, flavors, and colors. It’s suitable as a main course or as a hearty side dish for roasted meat or fish. Serve it over steamed grains or mashed potatoes, or top it with a few eggs sunny-side up for a lazy Sunday breakfast. A sprinkling of sharp cheese like Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, feta, or an aged cheddar would also compliment it quite nicely.
Kale, Sausage, and Winter Squash Hash
Serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 35–40 minutes
Ingredients
For the squash:
- 4 cups of your favorite winter squash (butternut, delicata, dumpling, acorn, kabocha, pumpkin), diced into 2-inch pieces
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
For the hash:
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, butter, or other fat
- 4–6 uncooked sausages of your choice (I used beer brats from Whole Foods)
- 1 large onion, sliced into thick wedges
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bunches kale, ribs removed, sliced into ribbons
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Toss diced squash with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil or other fat in a large, shallow pan. Cook sausages over medium heat, covered, until browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove sausages and set aside.
- Using the same pan, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil or other fat until hot. Add onions and sauté until lightly golden. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add kale and a generous pinch of salt. Sauté until kale is bright green and tender, adding a little water as mixture cooks to keep it from drying out. This also allows the kale to steam slightly.
- Slice sausages on a diagonal about ½-inch thick. Once kale is cooked through, add sausages and roasted squash to pan. Toss to combine. Serve piping hot.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
To choose your organically grown and fresh ingredients wisely, use the following criteria:
- chemical- and hormone-free meat
- wild-caught fish
- pasture-raised, organic eggs
- whole, unrefined grains
- virgin, unrefined, first-press organic oils
- whole-food, unrefined sweeteners
- pure, clean, spring water
- sea salt
- raw and/or cultured milk and cream products
