Bonus Recipe: Radicchio & Squash Gratin

Step Away From the Holiday Leftovers

Between the Christmas cookies, the deluge of desserts,  and gifts of candies, fruitcake or panforte – my two favorites for JanFeb breakfasts — it is probably advisable to introduce a vegetable here and there. I must say the Italians introduce them in the nicest way possible, even though fields are frostbitten, and pale imitations of summer vegetables stare back at us in the grocery stores. This gratin of butternut, kabocha squash or pumpkin is mixed with radicchio to create an easy-to-achieve roasted dish that can be served with whatever protein odds and ends you have in your fridge. This recipe is from an Italian food magazine, Sale & Pepe, which unfortunately does not have an English translation online. It is the same source of this lush Italian answer to our tomato aspic

Advice And Tools

I have found that “Y” shaped peelers are the easiest  for shaving the hard outer peel of winter squashes. Having disposed of four models from different sources, the one I liked best is no longer manufactured, so I have purchased this version from Microplane and will report back.   Other designs that have the similar “Y” configuration vary in durability and blade sharpness. Some have a uncomfortable handles or blades that pop out at inconvenient times. That said, there is usually a hard whiteish undercoat that I also get rid of via the same peeler. Once you have scraped out the seeds, then you can slice it into smaller pieces. Any type of gratin dish in metal, glass or ceramic will be good for this side dish. 

On the radicchio, simply remove the outer leaves, halve it and then quarter it without coring it. The core will become soft and as delicious as the leaves.  I used a light chicken stock, but a vegetable one based on carrots, celery, onions and bay leaf works well too and can be made in a bit more than 30 minutes.