Fall Harvest Salad
Fall’s fruit selection helps bring this fresh-tasting salad in tune with the season, and crisp, local salad greens and cheese are the best way to bring out its many flavors.
Autumn brings a bountiful harvest to enjoy with family and friends, and butternut squash is one of the season’s most distinctive offerings. This creamy, golden macaroni and cheese dish takes advantage of the squash’s flavor and pairs nicely with a local ale. Easy, simple, and fun to make, and only requires one pot!
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 6 Serving(s)
- 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, cored, and cubed
- 1 cup milk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup preferred pale ale
- 12 ounces rice or pasta (shells or elbows)
- ¾ cup parmesan cheese, grated (set aside ¼ cup for garnish)
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup fresh thyme, chopped (set aside 4 sprigs of thyme for garnish)
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
Bring a pot of well-salted water to a rolling boil. Add pasta to water and cook until al dente. Drain, toss with olive oil, and set aside. Rinse pot. Add squash, milk, cream, and water to pot and simmer for 10 minutes. When ready, squash will be soft and liquid mostly absorbed.
Place squash mixture, ale, cheeses, thyme, parsley, and nutmeg into a blender and pulse to a creamy consistency. Transfer to serving dish and fold in pasta. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with remaining parmesan, chives, and sprigs of thyme.
Consider serving with a fresh spinach salad and wedges of a crusty bread. In addition to being a flavorful and complimentary ingredient in the dish, your favorite pale ale also makes the perfect beverage to enjoy with it.
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