Maple Sage Butternut Stackers
The last hurrah for winter squash…These stackers pack a sausage-y flavor that’s easy to adjust for more savoriness (increase the sage) or sweetness (add maple syrup).
LAFFlines #20
[A long time ago in a galaxy far far away…
Hunger has engulfed the Household. The inhabitants are desperate for sustenance. In an effort to nourish the smallest and undoubtedly most starved member of the Clan, a kitchen warrior places a silver bowl of food on the floor.]
Jedi: guardian of piece (piece of butternut, that is).
“This is dog food.” “Um, yes, your High—” “Dog food.” “Your Highness, I, um, beg your floofanimous pardon, but it does seem that you are indeed a do—” “Dog food.” “Yes, well, Master Rose, it is a very expensive pellet formulated specifically for dachs—” “You will bring me the butternut.” “Butternut?” “You will bring me the butternut, now. I will be taking it with me.” “Butternut?” “From the cutting board. You will bring me the sliced butternut from the cutting board on the counter.” “How can you see that? On a good day, Highness, you’re six inches tall.” “The Force is strong with me.” Round black eyes blinkless as the universe sucked all human agency from the Household. “Butternut. Bring it to me you will.” “Bring it to you.” “To me. Butternut. You will bring it to me. Bring butternut to me you will.” “Bring butternut I will. Bring it to you. Butternut. From the cutting board, bring it to you.”
How to Make Butternut Stackers
Check the disks frequently once you put them in the oven. Most ovens have hot spots (and not all have accurate thermometers).
Preheat oven to 415 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Peel 1 butternut squash. Cut off the bulbous end and set it aside. Slice the butternut “neck” into disks the thickness of a mousepad. Arrange the disks in a single layer on the baking sheet and spritz with cooking spray (or drizzle with oil). Sprinkle with your favorite salt. Bake for 24 minutes, flipping the disks over after 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, scoop the seeds out of the bulbous end of the butternut squash (and save for another recipe—they’re good toasted in salads). Cut the squash into chunks and then grate in the food processor. Saute the grated butternut in a large skillet over medium heat along with 3 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup, 2 tablespoons avocado oil or olive oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon rubbed sage leaf, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon celery salt, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (or any kind of salt other than celery salt), and a several grinds of black pepper.
Scrumptious! Variations include using pecans instead of walnuts and white pepper instead of black pepper. Make it nut free by substituting hemp seeds for the walnuts.
While the grated butternut is cooking (which takes about 15 minutes), chop ½ cup walnuts and check the butternut disks in the oven—flip them over if you haven’t already. When the grated butternut in the skillet has softened up, stir in the walnuts and saute for another 3 minutes. Taste test—adjust the sweetness (maple syrup), brightness (apple cider vinegar or salt), and depth (sage, garlic, or oil) to your preference. Add 1½ cups LAFF protein crumbles, stir thoroughly, and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
Now build stackers on a plate by sandwiching the grated butternut-LAFF filling between butternut disks: butternut disk + grated butternut LAFF filling + butternut disk. It’s easiest to arrange the stackers (sandwiches) on individual plates rather than trying to move them from a communal serving dish. Sprinkle the stackers with more pepper (and maybe flaky sea salt).
Where to Find LAFF
Roanoke Co+op (Grandin location)
Eats (Blacksburg)
Online store: Delivery is free in the New River Valley and Danville, Virginia.
Email: Email me at hello@laffkitchen.com if you prefer to pay by check or cash, OR if you’d like to pick-up your order at Millstone Kitchen.
New Product Update
Add a dash of this, then a dash of that. Go back, do it again, and meticulously weigh the dashes. Change the proportion of vital wheat gluten. Change the type of salt. Change the grind of pepper. (Drink a glass of water and Take.A.Walk.). Steam it, bake it, refrigerate it, freeze it. Taste…again and again and again. The best food comes from the heart; getting that best food out into the world requires the head.
Three flavors of the new high-protein, plant-based LAFFkitchen product are in a lab at Virginia Tech for safety and nutrition content analysis. That analysis will help me determine packaging, distribution channels, and overall viability. Some days—6.75 out of 7 days, actually—this food venture seems crazy. Flying into an asteroid field kind of crazy. Time to channel Han Solo: “Never tell me the odds.”
Bring on the asteroids,
Abby