Wilted Autumn Greens with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1 medium African or small butternut squash
• 2 Moonglow or Asian pears, cored, peeled, and diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup (about 12) chestnuts
• 10 shallots, peeled
• 1/3 pound (about 2 bunches) tender komatsuna leaves or fresh spinach, torn
• 1/3 pound (about 2 heads) tatsoi, torn
• 1/3 pound (about 2 bunches) mustard greens, torn

For the Dressing:

• 8 ounces bacon, diced
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons local honey
• 1/4 cup Champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/3 cup canola oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel the squash: First cut into two cross sections, scrape out the seeds, and place the squash, flat side down, on a cutting board. Work around the squash with a sharp knife or peeler, making sure to remove the layer of lighter colored flesh under the skin as well as the skin. Dice into 1/2-inch cubes to make about 1 cup (reserve any leftovers for another use).

Arrange the diced squash and pears on a baking sheet and toss with the oil. Roast until browned, about 20 minutes; set aside at room temperature.

Make a cross slit on the rounded end of each chestnut with a sharp paring knife. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until the cut sections on the bottoms of the nuts just start to curl. Peel the chestnuts as soon as they are cool enough to handle, as they will peel the easiest when hot. Cut into quarters and set aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Wrap the shallots in parchment paper and then in aluminum foil. Bake until tender and slightly caramelized, about 1 hour. Once the shallots are cool enough to handle, chop coarsely and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette: In a large sauté pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy; transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve the fat in the pan. Once the fat has cooled slightly, strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup that has a spout. in a blender or food processor, combine the mustard, honey, vinegar, thyme, and pepper and blend for 30 seconds. Slowly add the strained warm bacon fat and the oil through the cap of the blender or the feed tube of a food processor, blending until thoroughly combined Pour the vinaigrette into a large mixing bowl.
Add the squash and pears, chestnuts, shallots, bacon, komatsuna, tatsoi, and mustard greens to the mixing bowl and toss with the warm vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

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Linguine with Mussels and Dandelion Greens

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds mussels
• 1 package (1 pound) linguine
• 1 Tablespoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup of beer
• 1 bunch dandelion greens, cut cross-wise into thin ribbons
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Clean all the mussels and debeard by tugging off the brown 'tag' coming out of the side of the mussel. (The beard is often removed on farmed mussels, but it's good to double-check.) If any have their shells open, tap them gently against the counter top. If they don't close up in a few minutes, discard.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the salt, and cook the linguine according to the package. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large wide-bottomed skillet or saucepan with a lid. Add the onions and saute until translucent--about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant--about 30 seconds.

Add the mussels to the pan, pour in the beer, and cover immediately with the lid. Cook for about five minutes, shaking once or twice, until all the shells have opened. Discard any unopened shells.

Add the dandelion greens to the pan and stir occasionally until the greens are wilted. Add the linguine to the pan and toss with mussels and greens. Season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately!

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