This is a wonderful autumn salad that’s an easy recipe to put together. If I roast the squash a day ahead I can assemble the salad in 10 minutes – the time it takes to warm the squash in a 350°F oven. I like to serve Devin’s grilled shrimp next and finish with an almond tart.

Don’t overdress the mâche. It is very delicate and wilts easily.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500 g) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut in 5-inch slices (about 12 oz/375 g after seeding and peeling)
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp liquid honey, warm, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tbsp walnut oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 oz (175 to 250 g) mâche or baby mixed greens (about 6 cups lightly packed)
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (about 3 oz/90 g)

Ingredients
1 Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 Toss the squash and olive oil in a large bowl. Spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly brush with half the honey. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and brush with the remaining honey. Bake for another 15 minutes, or until the squash is cooked through.

3 While the squash is baking, place the walnuts in a small ovenproof dish and bake for about 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.

4 Whisk together the lemon juice, walnut oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

5 Toss the mâche with the vinaigrette in a large bowl and place on serving plates. Top with 3 to 5 slices of squash. Sprinkle with walnuts and feta and a touch more salt and pepper. Serve while the squash is still warm.

Makes 6 servings

KITCHEN HINT
Walnut oil is more expensive than vegetable oils and olive oils because of the difficulty of extracting oil from the nut. It also has a shorter shelf life and should be stored in the refrigerator once opened. It is not suitable for cooking at high temperatures, and is usually used to add flavor to cooked foods and salad dressings.

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Excerpted from Two Dishes by Linda Haynes and Devin Connell Copyright © 2009 by Linda Haynes and Devin Connell. Excerpted by permission of McClelland & Stewart. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.