Although she has made Paris her adopted home, American chef Caleigh Megless knows something about it: on the eve of Halloween, houses across the Atlantic have a tradition of adorning themselves with decorations inspired by fairy tales. horror, summoning cobwebs, ghosts and monsters of all kinds on their exterior facades. But not only that! On the squares and window sills, it is a must to observe pumpkins, gourds and other cucurbits transformed into terrifying lanterns. But why such a favorite vegetable? Initiated in Ireland, the Halloween tradition consists of celebrating the chronic return of “Jack of the Lantern”, this character of urban legend whose life of debauchery condemned him to wander in the night until the last judgment, a lump of coal fiery nestled in a hollowed out turnip for only light. On the eve of All Saints’ Day, the Irish got into the habit of carving faces by carving them out of turnips and then, once they emigrated to the United States, into pumpkins, which were then easier to find. Result ? The famous squash and its variants have gradually transformed into emblems of this pagan festival since largely Americanized, appearing in decorative elements as well as in small seasonal dishes.
It is therefore no surprise that Caleigh Megless, co-founder of the Keili restaurant and popess of American vegan food, is inspired to imagine a Halloween recipe that is as healthy as it is comforting, which will delight the whole family with thrill. On the menu for this scary evening? A revisited harvest bowl, mixing kale, chickpeas, beets and feta, all in half a spaghetti squash transformed into an edible soup plate. With stringy yellow flesh, the latter is similar to the famous Italian pasta and is particularly suitable for playful mixtures of flavors. An inventive, attractive recipe rich in nutrients, which we will be happy to reproduce throughout the fall.
Read also: 36 cocooning butternut squash recipes
Halloween Special Harvest Bowl
For 2 to 4 people
1 spaghetti squash, cut in half and seeded
1 beet, peeled and cut into pieces
1 bunch of kale, washed and roughly chopped
1 can of peeled chickpeas (about 250g)
2 cloves of garlic
5 shallots, halved and peeled
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Toppings
30g crumbled feta
10g pumpkin seeds
10g chopped almonds
10g dried cranberries
3g dill
Vinaigrette
1 tbsp. mustard
1 tbsp. tablespoon of maple syrup
3 tbsp. tablespoon of cider vinegar
3 tbsp. tablespoon of olive oil
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Drizzle the spaghetti squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the squash is tender and lightly browned.
On another baking sheet, arrange the beets. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake the beets at the same time as the spaghetti squash, for about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the kale.
In a large skillet, brown a little olive oil, garlic and shallots for a few minutes until the shallots are soft. Add the chickpeas. Salt and pepper. Add olive oil if necessary. Cook for a few minutes to make them crunchy. Add the kale, sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until the leaves are reduced. Salt and pepper. Reserve.
The vinaigrette. In a bowl, put the mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, and olive oil. Salt and pepper. Reserve.
When the squash is ready, scrape the flesh with a fork to loosen the spaghetti. On top, add the kale and chickpea mixture, a few pieces of beets and then the toppings: crumbled feta, pumpkin seeds, almonds, cranberries, and dill.
Drizzle everything with vinaigrette… and enjoy your meal!
