Fresh from the Chef’s Table at Elim Park: Fall Harvest Salad

Peel the butternut squash and split it in half.

Scoop out the seeds from the squash and save them if desired.

Cut the bottom bulb section off and then cut the top end into uniform strips and cubes.

Heat a pan with olive oil and canola oil until slightly sizzling, not smoking.

Add a pinch of chili powder and optionally other fall spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to the squash.

Cook the squash on the stove or finish in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until caramelized but still al dente.

For the candied walnuts, heat a pan with canola oil and add whole walnuts.

Add butter to the pan to coat the walnuts and sprinkle in brown sugar and fall spices.

Cook until the butter melts and the sugar caramelizes, stirring to avoid burning.

Prepare the apple cider maple vinaigrette by finely mincing a shallot and adding it to a bowl.

Strip the leaves from fresh thyme and add to the bowl with the shallot.

Add lemon juice to the bowl to soften the shallots.

Pour in light maple syrup and a splash of apple cider into the bowl.

Slowly mix in fruity olive oil, adjusting the ratio of acid to oil to taste, generally aiming for a 2:1 ratio.

Dress the baby greens with the vinaigrette before serving.

Slice a local apple to add to the salad.

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary