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Remember the rosemary
The ancient Greeks believed rosemary could
strengthen memory and so braided it into their hair
prior to exams. Known to this day as the "herb
of remembrance," rosemary has been placed upon
the graves of heroes and carried by wedding couples
as a sign of love and fidelity. Rosemary has a distinguishing
pine-woody aroma, owns a note reminiscent of camphor,
and lends a fresh, bittersweet flavor that complements
a variety of dishes, from the savory to the sweet.
Ingredients (serves 4)
4 cups sweet potato and butternut squash, peeled, seeded,
and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons DHC
Núñez de Prado Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed with stems removed (or one
9-ounce package of frozen spinach)
8 ounces bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, then cut into
1-inch pieces
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
Dressing
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1. Dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the cider
vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. When the sugar has
dissolved, whisk in the olive oil and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
3. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potato and butternut
squash cubes, rosemary, olive oil, salt, and pepper
until all cubes are coated. Spread the mixture evenly
on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until
tender. Set aside.
4. Toss the spinach with some of the dressing and
place in a serving bowl.
5. Toss the warm sweet potato and butternut squash
cubes, bacon, and red onion with some of the dressing
and arrange over the spinach. Serve the extra dressing
on the side. |
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| Even with a large spoon, digging the seeds
and strings from winter squash can be laborious.
Use an ice cream scoop to quickly and easily
remove seeds and strings without damaging the
flesh of the fruit. |
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| All herbs should be carefully washed and dried
before use. Remove leaves from and discard the
stem. When chopping herbs, use a sharp knife
in order to cut, not smash, the herbs. Smashing
them releases all their flavorful juices prematurely,
only to be left behind on the cutting board.
Further, don't chop herbs too evenly. Leaving
some cuttings larger than others creates an
appealing visual texture and, more important,
the bigger flakes burst with flavor when you
bite into them while the smaller pieces subtly
infuse the dish. |
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