From Bittman to Plate

I’m a huge fan of Mark Bittman’s “The Minimalist” 101 series in The New York Times – reading it, that is. A few times a year, Bittman comes out with this fabulous list of 101 delicious-sounding items, all described in just a few sentences. I frequently print out the entire list.

And then I don’t cook from it.

I love the idea of the list, the way it moves cooking away from a strict recipe. Instead, you get a heap of ingredients and some suggestions for how they fit together. I’m a fairly competent cook; I can sort out proportions. Yet that lack of an extensive recipe is daunting, I admit it. I very rarely truly make up a new recipe based on what’s in the fridge and the pantry – more often I see what I’ve got, then troll the internet for a recipe, then adapt it. That I’m totally comfortable with. This is a step beyond.

This season’s list is billed as “101 Head Starts on the Day” – Thanksgiving, of course. Last night, I didn’t need a feast, I just needed a quick and easy dinner.

I chose #28: “Toss cooked Israeli couscous with toasted pecans, orange zest and juice, chopped mint, cider vinegar and honey. Bake in an oiled dish or use as stuffing.”

Between the fridge, the pantry, and the garden, I had all those things. But it wasn’t going to be enough for dinner. However, the fridge revealed several butternut squash haunting its far corners – relics of our farm share. Squash will store practically forever.

Roasted butternut squash would surely go well with pecans and orange.

In the spirit of the list, I didn’t measure anything, so my recipe is a bit of a guess. As for why half an orange, well, because that’s what I had in the fridge (the other half went to garnishes for Aperol aperitifs last weekend – yum!).

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pecans, Orange, and Mint

1 butternut squash

1 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous

1 T butter

1/3 c pecans, chopped

½ orange

1/3 c fresh mint, chopped

2 T cider vinegar

1 T honey

Peel, seed, cube, and roast a butternut squash, tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper, in a 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes, until completely soft and slightly caramelized.

While the squash roasts, bring 1.5 cups of water to boil, couscous, and butter to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low so that the couscous continues to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for 5 minutes. Fluff.

While the couscous simmers, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over low heat for about 5 minutes, until they have darkened slightly and smell lovely. Do not burn.

Zest the half orange and then juice it. Add the vinegar and honey (both to taste), and salt and pepper. Whisk.

Combine couscous, pecans, mint, and squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Delicious. Thanks, Mark Bittman, for the inspiration.