There was a bit of hesitation before I decided to post this recipe. Perhaps because it was so far from what I originally intended to post. I thought in its place I’d talk about walnuts. Having just returned from a trip learning about the process of harvesting they happen to be fresh on my mind. In my plans there was pumpkin yogurt alongside butter-toasted walnuts and then a drizzle of olive oil over the whole lot. There’s still time for that too.

The hesitation could also come from the simplicity of this recipe; it’s really no more than sliced squash roasted with a whisper of sugar then sprinkled with butter browned until nutty and dark. But then there are cocoa nibs – which I realize may not be in everyone’s pantry. So then I worry that this quickly becomes a “fussy” recipe; one that requires a trip to the store and possibly a few mumbled curse words when you get excited to start cooking and then realize you don’t have all its parts. I’d hate for a recipe to be a bother.

But I’m here with squash and cocoa nibs because when I took a bite it gave me a pause and a few flutters of delight which then ignites the instinct to share it with someone else.

If I’m completely honest, hesitation and I have become perhaps too good of friends lately. There is often a pause, just long enough for the action to stop and the voices of doubt to creep in but in this case those voices just seemed crazy, even to me. Because really, who wouldn’t mind another recipe for squash particularly when chocolate (or its roasted bean) is involved?

To remove any sort of the fussiness let’s go ahead and say that although nibs do really play a staring role here perhaps toasted, ummmm WALNUTS might do nicely in their place?! Or pecans. You know what, maybe even peanuts with cilantro scattered on top?! I think you get the idea.

I’m partial to Delicata squash because I love that it doesn’t require peeling. In fact once out of the oven that skin is crisp enough to be pleasant against the softness of the flesh and tender enough to be delicious. But really any squash will do.

It is just the sort of recipe that is simple enough to sit alongside Wednesday’s roast chicken but worthy of snuggling up right next to your holiday bird. Leftovers turn a humble bed of peppery greens into a not-so-humble salad.

Delicata Squash with Brown Butter & Cocoa Nibs

Serves 4 to 6 side servings

The recipe comes from the newly released book, Theo Chocolate which includes all sorts of intriguing sweet and savory recipes that highlight chocolate. The Nibby Crackers are also a favorite. So the lesson of the day is: cocoa nibs are indeed a pantry staple.

1 winter squash (about 2 pounds), halved and seeded*

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt*

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 generous tablespoon (about 1/4 ounces) roasted cocoa nibs

flake salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Cut the Delicata into 1/2-inch half moons.

Add the squash to a sheet tray and drizzle on the olive oil, kosher salt, and brown sugar. Toss well to coat.

Roast until the squash is tender and the edges are nicely browned, about 30 minutes.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue to cook until the foam subsides, you start to see brown specks at the bottom of the pan, and the butter smells nutty. Add the cocoa nibs and cook for 10 seconds just to warm them through, then spoon the mixture over the squash and serve immediately.

*I used two small Delicata squash and actually a bit less kosher salt then listed but added a crunchy flake salt at the end.

We’re here in the in between. Winter is on its way out but Spring still feels a world away. We’ve seen the same offenders in our vegetable drawers for months and I, for one, am ready for a change. But the frozen rain and threats of snow persist, keeping the asparagus from venturing out of the earth and the Rhubarb from turning to its ready-to-use ruby red (unless it’s green rhubarb).

Within our current limited resources I’m trying to make our salads a bit more exciting. And as is often the case I find a bit of restriction a great exercise in creativity. I’m constantly looking for new flavor combinations and new methods of cooking the same ingredients I’ve been working with for months.

I’ve always been a fan of salad. I find comfort in knowing I’m not alone. It really wasn’t until I started stretching my imagination and moving beyond greens doused in blue cheese dressing (although, at times, nothing can be better) that salads started to really inspire me. Now I find myself dreaming of salads and enjoying them daily.

If I’m having this much fun with them now, imagine what Summer will bring.

Orange Salad with Cocoa Nibs // Grilled Zucchini Salad // Avocado Salad with Warm Jalapeño Vinaigrette

Orange Salad with Cocoa Nibs

serves 1

1 orange

2 Tablespoons cocoa nibs

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons aged balsamic

2 cups fresh spinach

salt and pepper

Carefully cut the rind of the orange off, taking as much of the white pith as you can. Cut the orange in rounds.

In a small bowl add the spinach and place the orange rounds on top. Sprinkle with the cocoa nibs and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy immediately.

Grilled Zucchini Salad
serves one

2 small zucchini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 Tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped (I used basil, mint, tarragon, and cilantro)
salt and pepper
lemon juice

Using a mandoline (or a steady hand and sharp knife) very thinly slice the zucchini.
Toss the zucchini in olive oil and salt and pepper.
On a hot grill pan or indoor grill, sear the zucchini until dark marks appear, about 30 seconds. Flip over and repeat on the other side.
Toss the grilled zucchini in a bowl with the fresh herbs and a hefty squeeze of lemon. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Avocado Salad with warm Jalapeno vinaigrette
serves 2

¼ cup coconut oil
1 Tablespoon chopped shallot
1 garlic clove, minced
½ to 1 sliced Jalapeno, deseeded (depending on how spicy you want it)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
salt
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 avocado
greens (spinach, cress, arugula, cilantro) or 1 cup cooked quinoa

In a skillet add the coconut oil and shallots. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just golden around the edges. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and cumin. Cook for 1 minute more then turn off heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and lime juice.
Pour ½ of the warm vinaigrette over half of an avocado that is sitting on greens.
If using quinoa stir some of the vinaigrette in the quinoa. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in chopped cilantro and cubed avocado.

The stockings are nearly full, the gifts are either wrapped or en route to our home, and countless cups of cocoa have been consumed. There has been Christmas music playing for weeks, opening of advent doors, and readings of a humble birth. We’ve seen lights, reindeer, a Space Needle all lit up, and a camel named Curly. With only a few more traditions to cross off our list the day is approaching quickly and we all are counting the sleeps.

It’s true, I’m giddy at the thought of nine kidlets and cousins joyfully tearing into their presents, and thrilled to imagine the warmth of a fire I’ll sit next to for countless hours, but it’s this coffee cake that is making the days leading up to Christmas feel as if they are taking far too long to pass.

I made this cake last week to test if it was Christmas morning worthy. Since then I’ve resisted making it again and again. Now the anticipation is making me weak.

Let me assure you, it is Christmas morning worthy.

This coffee cake makes eating cake seem perfectly appropriate for a morning’s activity. And really Christmas morning needs no excuse to be eating cake, but this one avoids being overtly sweet with layers of tanginess from both creme fraiche and cream cheese. A subtle citrus flavor runs throughout complementing the soft bitterness from the cocoa nibs.

Let’s pause there for a moment so I can convince you that your pantry needs cocoa nibs. It wasn’t until a couple weeks ago when I myself felt no need to have cocoa nibs be a part of my regular routine. Then a packaged arrived from the kind people at Theo chocolate. There were many delightful things inside but it was the nibs that intrigued me the most.

Cocoa nibs are cocoa beans that have been roasted and cracked. They’re bitter and nearly savory and yet you can recognize that it’s chocolate. They look as though their texture could break your teeth but as you bite into them it’s a gentle crunch that softens as the cocoa butter melts. In this coffee cake they are the perfect accessory for texture and flavor and one of the many reasons that makes this cake worthy of a holiday morning.

Happy Holidays to you all!

Cocoa Nib Coffee Cake

This recipe appears a bit daunting by the sheer length of it. I know I would roll my eyes at all the steps but I assure you all those messy bowls are well worth the trouble. I am counting down the days until Christmas morning when I will enjoy this coffee cake once again.

2 cups all-purpose flour (you can substitute half whole wheat if you prefer)

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) butter, soft

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup creme fraiche (or sour cream)

Pre-heat your oven to 350*F. Butter a tube pan or a bundt pan.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter and sugars together until creamy and light, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time while the mixer is on medium low. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again then add the creme fraiche. With the mixer on low add the dry ingredients. Stop the mixer while streaks of flour remain. Finish mixing by hand to prevent over mixing.

Set aside ½ cup of the batter.

Cream Cheese Filling

4 oz cream cheese, soft

1 Tablespoon butter, soft

¼ teaspoon orange zest

2 Tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup coffee cake batter (reserved from above)

Beat in a mixer or medium bowl until smooth. Stir in ½ cup cake batter.

Topping

½ cup almonds

¼ cup brown sugar

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

⅓ cup cocoa nibs (can be found at fine grocery stores, specialty food stores or ordered online)

Add ingredients, except the cocoa nibs, to the bowl of a food processor and processor until coarse crumb. Stir in the cocoa nibs.

Add half of the cocoa nib crumble to the bottom of the pan. On top of that add half of the batter. The batter is stiff and hard to spread around without disturbing the crumble so I find that spooning the batter into the pan works best. Add a layer of cream cheese filling around the ring than cover with the remaining batter.Try and make sure no cream cheese is left exposed so as not to burn that layer.

Top with the remaining crumbling topping.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack for about an hour before running a knife around the edge of pan then inverted. Invert the cake one more time so it’s back to the original baking position. Served warm is best but it’s also great the day after baking (even the day after the day after).