Salad Greens With Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

2 medium cloves of garlic, peeled and halved
2 tbs. fresh marjoram leaves
1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. whole coriander seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 cup olive oil, plus 3 tbs. to drizzle over salad
1 tbs. Maldon salt
5 pequin chiles
2 butternut squash (1 to 1 1/2 lb. each), halved lengthwise and seeds scooped out
1 lemon
8 handfuls winter market salad greens (such as baby wild arugula, mustard greens, and baby kale)
3 tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/2 pomegranate, seeded
4 oz. Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Smash 2 garlic cloves with the flat side of your knife, then chop the garlic with the marjoram until you have a very fine, well-blended mixture. Combine the mixture with the coriander, olive oil, and Maldon salt in a large mixing bowl. Crumble in the chiles, and stir well.

Place the butternut squash in the bowl (one half at a time) and, with your hands, coat with the herb-oil mixture. Put the halves cut-side up in a baking dish, drizzling any leftover oil over the squash. Pour 1/2 cup water into the pan (but not over the squash), cover the pan with 2 layers of foil, and pop in the oven. Roast the squash until you can easily slide a knife in and out of it (about 45 minutes). Remove the foil, flip the butternut-squash halves, and roast for 10 more minutes, until the cut sides are slightly brown. Allow to cool.

Slice the squash into pieces or chunks of varying sizes, leaving on the skin. Lightly drizzle with 1 tbs. of olive oil and a splash of lemon, and place on platter. Put market greens in large bowl, and gently toss with salt, 2 tbs. of olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon. Sprinkle the greens in and around the butternut squash, and finish with a drizzle of balsamic, a hearty handful of pomegranate seeds, Parmesan shavings, and pine nuts. (Published 2011)