As the autumn season unfolds, it brings a delightful opportunity to savor meals centered around sweet roasted vegetables, earthy greens, and cozy desserts. This culinary offering combines a robust squash and cavolo nero salad with a decadent dark chocolate mousse, complemented by aromatic poached quince and a crunchy brown-butter crumb.
The Roast Squash and Cavolo Nero Salad with Black Olive Tapenade is a standout dish. To prepare the salad, start by peeling, deseeding, and slicing one medium-sized butternut squash into wedges. Toss the wedges with olive oil, a pinch of dried chili flakes, and a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper, then roast them in a preheated oven at 220°C (200°C fan)/425°F/gas 7 for 30 to 35 minutes until they turn golden and tender. Meanwhile, remove the tough stalks from approximately 250g of cavolo nero, blanch the leaves in salted boiling water for two minutes, rinse them under cold water, and toss with lemon juice and a bit of olive oil. For the tapenade, finely chop black olives, garlic, capers, and flat-leaf parsley, then mix with olive oil and red-wine vinegar, seasoning with black pepper. To serve, layer the cavolo nero on a plate, top with warm roasted squash, and drizzle with the tapenade, finishing with toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts.
The dessert portion of the menu features a luxurious Dark Chocolate Mousse with Poached Quince and Brown Butter Crumb. Begin by gently melting 200g of dark chocolate over a bain-marie. Whisk egg whites to soft peaks, gradually adding sugar until glossy. In a separate bowl, whip double cream to soft peaks as well. Beat egg yolks into the melted chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream and egg whites. Chill the mousse for at least four hours. For the poached quince, caramelize honey in a saucepan, add apple juice, cider vinegar, bay leaf, peppercorns, cinnamon, and lemon, and bring to a simmer. Peel and quarter the quince, placing them in the pan to cook gently for about 90 minutes until tender. Cool the quince in the poaching liquid, then dice.
To create the brown butter milk crumb, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4. Melt butter in a saucepan until golden brown, then mix it with milk powder, flour, sugar, and sea salt to form crumbs. Spread the mixture on a baking tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once, until golden. Let it cool completely.
When ready to serve, place a generous spoonful of chilled chocolate mousse on each plate, accompanied by diced poached quince and a scattering of brown-butter milk crumbs. Finish with a dollop of crème fraîche for added richness, and enjoy this harmonious blend of flavors and textures that celebrate the essence of early autumn.