- ¼ c balsamic vinegar
- 2 t (packed) dark brown sugar
- 1 sml-med pumpkin or winter squash (kabocha, butternut, sunburst) peeled, halved lengthwise and seeded
- canola oil
- sea salt
- 2 heads Belgian endive, root ends trimmed, leaves separated into individual leaves
- 2 unpeeled Honeycrisp or Macintosh apples, halved, cored, cut into matchstick-size strips (place in a water/lemon juice mixture to prevent browning)
- ¼ c coarsely crumbled blue cheese (Quebec’s Bleu Bénédictin or Ermite are good choices)
- ½ c dried cranberries or sour cherries
Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush 2 large rimmed baking sheets with oil.
Whisk vinegar and sugar in small bowl and set aside. Cut squash halves crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices — so they look like batons. Arrange squash in single layer on prepared sheets; brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 5 minutes, then brush with sugar-vinegar mixture. Turn squash over and brush with sugar-vinegar mixture again and roast for 5 minutes. Roast until squash is tender when pierced with small knife, about 15 minutes longer.
Cool on sheets. Let stand at room temperature.
Dressing
- 2 T fresh lemon juice
- 6 T extra-virgin olive oil
Whisk vinegar and lemon juice in small bowl and gradually whisk in oil. Season and reserve.
To serve: Divide endive between 4-6 plates. Place squash slices in center of each plate. Scatter apples, cheese and cranberries/cherries over squash. Drizzle dressing and serve.
Serves 4-6.