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Olivia Muniak’s vegetarian Friendsgiving recipes

Kale salad in a bowl on a set table.

Author: Olivia Muniak 

Kale Salad with Ricotta Salata & Fried Scallions

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

  • 2 bunches of Lacinato kale, de-stemmed
  • 2 bunches of green onions/scallions
  • 1 fennel bulb
  • 1/4 c Castelvetrano olives, pitted & chopped
  • 1/4 c toasted nuts: pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts
  • 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 c champagne vinegar
  • 1 tsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp raw honey
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • Flaky salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste 

Method

Make the dressing: chop the white parts of the scallions on the bias. Heat the olive oil in a small pan and fry the scallions until golden brown, be careful not to burn. Remove from the heat, and strain out the scallions, reserving the oil. Place the fried scallions on a paper towel to dry out. In a small bowl, whisk together the champagne vinegar, honey, sea salt and microplane the garlic into the mixture. Slowly whisk in the scallion oil. Set aside.

Rinse and de-stem the kale, chop into fine ribbons and place into a large salad bowl. Shave the fennel bulb into the salad. Add the chopped olives.

Toast the nuts with a touch of olive oil and sea salt. 

Toss the salad with the dressing and garnish with shaved ricotta salata cheese, toasted nuts and fried scallions.

Brown Butter & Sage Squash with Pistachio Dukkah

Ingredients (serves 4–6)

  • 3 lbs honey nut or delicata squash
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4-6 fresh sage leaves
  • Flaky sea salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste
  • 1/2 pistachio dukkah for garnish
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pistachio dukkah:

  • 3 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp Evermill cumin
  • 1/2 c shelled pistachio nuts
  • 1/4 c sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper.

Method

Preheat oven to 425º

Slice the squash into rounds or lengthwise and de-seed the squash. Place on a sheet pan and toss with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 30–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange onto a serving platter

Make the dukkah: toast the coriander seeds in a skillet. Once fragrant, remove from the skillet and place into a mortar & pestle with the cumin, sesame seeds, sea salt & freshly cracked pepper. Then toast the pistachios in the same skillet, remove from heat and roughly chop. Place into the spice and seed mixture. Store the remaining dukkah in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Make the brown butter: using a small pot or pan, melt the butter over medium heat and continuously stir. The butter will foam and a nutty aroma will waft up—be careful not to burn, if you see smoke or smell anything burning, start over.

Once the butter is melted and has a faint golden brown color, add the sage leaves. Remove from the heat and pour over the squash. Garnish with a sprinkle of pistachio dukkah, flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Serve warm.

Want to learn more about how Olivia prepares to host a chic but stress-free Friendsgiving party? Check our her top tips and fave products here!

A self-taught chef who grew up in a New York City restaurant family, Olivia Muniak creates enchanting food-focused events for clients like Nike, Stella McCartney, Moët Hennessy and Laura Mercier and has developed custom content and recipes for fashion and lifestyle and brands including Jenni Kayne and Anthropologie.

Her popular blog and IG feed is an ever evolving compendium of what she’s cooking and a shoppable edit of her favorite kitchen and entertaining essentials.

Her entertaining philosophy is deceptively simple: Settings should be candle-lit, evenings always begin with a cocktail, and the conversation around the table should be as delectable and inspired as the food.

In a word? Magic.

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