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Comfort food has gotten a bad rap over the years as attention has focused on health and weight gain. But while comfort food is welcome year-round, it truly shines in the winter months—for obvious reasons. Topping the list is the need to combat cold weather, and the density of comfort food provides the ultimate way to face darker days and chillier nights.
In my household, our winter favorite comfort food recipes take center stage. Picture a soul-warming bowl of ginger-and-turmeric noodle soup, a stick-to-your-ribs pot roast, or creamy, bubbling-over-the-casserole-dish macaroni and cheese. Our family tradition includes making the most of seasonal ingredients, like citrus and root vegetables, for fresh and flavorful dishes. One standout is our Puntarelle-citrus salad with roasted beets.
To kick off our winter dinner favorites, let’s dive into one of the season’s stars: butternut squash, also known as winter squash.
Winter Squash-and-Shallot Tart
This elegant tart is anything but ordinary. Its rich, cheesy filling is packed with sweet cubes of butternut squash and savory shallots, perfectly balanced by the acidity of sherry vinegar and the brightness of lemon zest. It’s a cozy, mouthwatering recipe perfect for a chilly winter night.
Active Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hr. 25 mins
Servings: 8
Ingredients
4 cups ½-inch peeled butternut squash cubes (from 1 medium [2-pound] squash)
8 small (8 ounces total) shallots, peeled, root ends trimmed, and halved
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1¾ teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed (from 1 [17.3-ounce] pkg.)
3 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup)
3 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (about ¾ cup)
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 teaspoon fresh juice, divided (from 1 lemon)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 cup loosely packed baby arugula (about ½ ounce)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss together squash, shallots, oil, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper in a large bowl. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.
While the vegetables cool, roll the pastry sheet into a 16 x 10-inch rectangle on a large piece of parchment paper. Carefully transfer the parchment paper with the pastry to a large baking sheet. (If needed, re-stretch the pastry to maintain the rectangle.) Using a paring knife, score a 1-inch border around the edges of the pastry and prick the area inside the border with a fork. Bake at 400°F until light golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven.
In a large bowl, stir together Gruyère, Fontina, egg yolks, crème fraîche, lemon zest, thyme, vinegar, the roasted squash mixture, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper. Gently spread this mixture inside the border of the baked pastry rectangle.
Return to the oven and bake at 400°F until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Toss the arugula with lemon juice and the remaining ⅛ teaspoon of salt, then sprinkle it over the top of the tart. Cut the tart into pieces (about 4 x 3½ inches) and serve immediately.
Let us know how this recipe warms your winter nights and if it becomes a favorite in your household.