Your Halloween gathering is about so much more than spooky aesthetics and frightening costumes—the treats you serve deserve a little bit of love, too. 😉 If you’re looking for some fun and innovative dishes to make for your Halloween party, you’re in luck. Casey Easton, of Food Labs Boulder, has shared with us some of her favorite holiday-inspired recipes. Enjoy!
Winter Squash Risotto with Figs and Radicchio
1 acorn squash
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
3 TBSP olive oil
2 medium shallots, minced and divided
8 cloves garlic, minced and divided
2 sprig thyme, picked
1 TBSP butter
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1 cup squash puree
3-4 cups stock or water, heated
1 lemon, zested
1 TBSP butter
½ cup parmesan, grated
3 fresh figs, quartered
½ head radicchio, sliced
¼ cup walnuts, toasted
Salt, to taste
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the root and tip of the squash off and discard them. Cut the squash in half, through where the root was, and scoop out all seeds. Cut the half squashes into 1-2 inch wedges, and toss them in the salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Roast the wedges on a baking sheet, skin side down, for 20-30 minutes. Check them to make sure they are fully cooked–they should be fork tender and lightly colored on the outside.
While the squash is roasting, heat a wide-bottomed pan over medium. Add the remaining olive oil and butter, and stir the mixture to melt the butter. Once the butter starts to foam, add the shallots, garlic and thyme with a few pinches of salt. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the shallots are tender. Add the rice and mix it in to coat it well with the shallot mixture. Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes and then pour in the white wine and simmer it until the wine has been fully absorbed. Add the squash puree, 1 cup of warm stock, and a few pinches of salt. Continue to simmer the rice, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until it has absorbed all the liquid. Repeat this process until the rice is tender and creamy, then remove it from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, butter, and parmesan cheese. Top the risotto with the roasted squash wedges, figs, radicchio, and walnuts.
Squash Puree
1 winter squash, peeled, cleaned, and diced
2 TBSP olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp alt
1 tsp pepper
½ cup water or vegetable stock
Preheat an oven to 450F, and place a metal baking tray inside. Peel the squash, remove any seeds inside, and dice it. Toss the diced squash in the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Once the sheet tray has heated up (approximately 10 minutes in the oven), pour the squash onto it. You should hear it sizzle! Spread all the pieces out so they don’t steam, and place the tray in the oven for 20 minutes or until the squash is fork tender and lightly caramelized. Place the cooked squash in a blender with the vegetable stock and puree it until smooth.
Corn Bread Muffins with Pumpkin Butter
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup GF AP flour
½ tsp baking soda
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp salt
Cornbread:
Pre-heat oven to 375. Melt butter in a 10” cast iron pan. Combine all wet ingredients, mix well. Combine all dry ingredients, then mix the two together. Melt butter into the cast iron skillet, then pour mixture into it. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove and enjoy with pumpkin butter.
Pumpkin Butter:
1 can pumpkin puree
½ cup brown sugar
½ tsp cinnnamon
⅛ tsp ground clove
⅛ tsp all spice
½ cup apple juice
½ tsp salt
Squeeze lemon
Combine all ingredients in a pot. Stir and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low but maintain a low bubbling scene. Stir frequently for 20-25 minutes–it will turn darker and caramelize a bit. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Bloody Sangria
1 bottle red wine
¼ cup brandy
2 cups blackberries
2 cups blueberries
2 plums, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with ice and fresh rosemary or mint. Enjoy!