Ingredients
Acorn Squash Bread:
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1 cup heavy cream, warmed
1 cup soy milk, warmed
1 cup butter, melted
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 large acorn squash, cooked and seeded
1 cup sliced almonds
2 cups cornmeal
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
Mango Butter Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup Chai green tea
1 cup chopped mango
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
For assembly:
2 cups chopped Swiss chard
2 cups goat cheese
2 cups chopped avocado
2 cups freshly chopped mint leaves
3 cups roasted sunflower seeds, divided
1 cup freshly chopped basil leaves
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup chopped currants
I cup chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup chopped almonds
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon brown sugar
8 slices Sunflower-shaped Acorn Squash Bread
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Lemon and olive oil, to taste
1 cup Mango Butter Sauce
Directions
- For the bread: In a large bowl, put the yeast and warmed heavy cream and soy milk. Let sit for a couple of minutes until the yeast is foamy. Add the melted butter and egg yolks to the mixture. Mix well. Add the cinnamon and mix well. Scoop the squash out of the skin and add to the mixture along with almonds and with a whisk, blend well into the mixture. Add the cornmeal and mix well. Add the flour, salt and sugar and mix well. Scoop the dough evenly into 2 (8 by10-inch) generously greased bread pans. Cover and let sit for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Bake in a hot oven for 1 hour. Check for doneness by tapping the bottom of the loaf for a hollow sound. If not done, bake a couple of more minutes.
- Oven temperatures vary, so keep your eye on the bread. Remove from oven when completed and allow to sit in bread pans for 15 minutes, then remove and cool a bit before serving.
- For the Mango Butter Sauce: Melt butter in microwave or in a skillet. Prepare the green tea and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a blender, put the melted butter, green tea, mango, cinnamon, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth. Serve with salads or over sandwiches.
- For assembly: In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients but 1 cup of sunflower seeds and mix very well. Put the 1 cup of sunflower seeds off to the side. Place the bread on the plates and distribute the mixture in the bowl evenly among them. Drizzle the lemon and olive oil lightly over the sandwiches. Cover with the bread tops. With the 4 tablespoons of melted butter, drizzle 1 tablespoon over each center of the top of the sunflower bread. Take the extra cup of sunflower seeds and sprinkle evenly over the melted butter on the center of top of the sunflower bread. Serve wih Mango Butter Sauce, if desired. Decorate plate accordingly.