Roasted Squash with Egg

When I recently realized that I had never covered this preparation in the blog, it was a shocking revelation. Why? Because it's been my "go to" fall dinner for a few years now. It is easy, relatively quick, and takes advantage of the vegetables that are available this time of year. I can't let another moment go by without sharing!

So in the interest of full disclosure, I originally got the idea for this dish from a Sunset magazine experiment "One-block Feast" in which all of the ingredients for the meal were sourced from the magazine's own land. I often use it in much the same way, except that all of the ingredients are sourced from my CSA! In the Sunset version, they used pattypan squash, and filled it with aromatics, thyme, and a whole egg right from the shell. I prefer to use a small winter squash variety, and to channel my inner Mark Bittman with the rest. That is, I freestyle a bit... Here is the formula: One small winter squash, an aromatic (garlic, onion, both), another vegetable (optional, but fresh kale or frozen corn or broccoli work wonderfully if you have them), a fresh herb, an egg, and a bit of grated cheese.

My favorite squash variety to use for this is delicata, but a small acorn, or any smallish squash variety will do. Just keep in mind, obviously, that the cooking time and the amount of filling will vary with the size of the squash.

The first step is always to preheat the oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is heating, halve the squash lengthwise, scoop the seeds, and brush the cut side with enough olive oil to cover. Place the squash halves cut size down on a baking sheet and bake until the flesh is soft. For a delicata this will take around 15 or 20 minutes, but the acorn squash in this picture took more like 30 minutes.

While the squash is baking, melt a pat of butter over medium heat in a pan and add about 1/8 cup or so of diced onion, sliced leek, or chopped shallot to the pan. Cook until translucent, then add 1/2 clove of minced garlic. Saute for a minute more, until the garlic is fragrant. At this point, if you are using a hearty herb (sage, rosemary, thyme), add it to the mixture and cook for another 30 seconds. Herbs like flat leaf parsley are better left to add at the end as garnish. If your vegetable is kale, it is a good idea to wilt it in the pan for a few minutes as well.

When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and turn the halves over so the hollow side is facing up. Fill the bottom of each squash half with some of the onion/garlic mixture. Add a layer of corn, diced cooked broccoli, or some other vegetable of your choice (or don't). At this point, the squash halves should be relatively full, so one egg should cover both of them. Beat the egg in a small bowl with a fork, then pour it over the contents of each of the squash to cover. Finally, sprinkle the cheese on top and slide the tray back into the oven. Bake until the egg is set and the cheese is golden. Once again, this is about 15 minutes for the delicata, but more like 30 minutes for a larger, deeper squash.

Though it will look delicious, try not to do what I always do and please wait for the squash to cool a bit before taking a bite! This is a great little weekday meal for two, especially when paired with a hearty potato side and a crisp cabbage slaw.

Poached-Egg Topper

Originally, I didn't make this salad for garlic.pepper.parsley, but because I was hungry! It was so pretty when it was done, though, that I couldn't help but take a picture. Then, while looking at the picture, it came to me that maybe this little quick-meal trick of mine might be useful to others, so I decided to post it.


If it seems odd to put a poached egg on top of a salad, I have to ask you to suspend your disbelief for just a moment and stay with me. When I was still cooking for one, not to mention trying to maintain my pre-wedding weight, this dish made a frequent appearance on my table. Why? Because it's light, reasonably balanced, easy to make, and a good way to use up vegetables (and eggs) before they go bad in the refrigerator! And, the added protein from the egg really turns the salad into a meal. You can add dressing to the salad before adding the egg if you'd like (a light vinaigrette works well), but you don't need to, because the runny egg yolk makes a nice dressing by itself. As always, I'd recommend adding a few turns from the pepper grinder as well.

Poaching an egg is not the easiest thing to do, but it also isn't hard if you use my method. The end result may not be the most beautiful thing ever, but it works! I just fill a very small frying pan about 2/3 full with water and add a splash or two (about 1 tsp.) of vinegar. Then, I heat the water on medium until bubbles start to form on the bottom and sides of the pan. I crack the egg into a separate bowl and drop it into the center of the pan. While the sides of the egg white cook, I spoon water over the top of the egg until the white turns opaque over the yolk. Then, I use a slotted spoon to remove the egg and place it on a paper towel for a couple of minutes to drain. That's it!

If you still just can't bring yourself to put that egg on top of a salad, try it on pasta! The yolk works as a great simple sauce. And, "an egg on top" is a popular food trend this year, so you'll be on the cutting edge!