Butternut Ceasar Salad

AP Photo/Matthew Mead

Butternut Caesar Salad has roasted cubes of butternut squash.

No matter how delicious a Caesar salad is, chilly temperatures tend to be a turnoff for all things leafy green.

Which is why I decided to tinker with the basics of this classic salad, to see whether I could make a winter-friendly version that was true to its tangy, cheesy roots, but also hardy enough to be desirable on a cooler night.

I kept the classic romaine base, but bulked it up with roasted cubes of butternut squash. Warm and substantial, butternut is the perfect base for a robust Caesar dressing. Add to that some freshly made croutons (the oven is already on for the squash, so why not?) and it’s a perfect vegetarian dinner.

Want to make it more substantial? No need to dirty a pan. Slice some boneless, skinless chicken breasts into thin strips, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, toss them on the baking sheet with the croutons and squash for the last 20 minutes of baking, then cut them into chunks and toss with the salad.

J.M. Hirsch,

The Associated Press

20 ounces peeled and cubed butternut squash

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)

Salt and ground black pepper

10 ounces rustic bread, cut into croutons (about 4 cups)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

3 cloves garlic

4 anchovy fillets

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup grated parmesan (divided use)

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, tossing to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then transfer to one half of the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the bread cubes in the same bowl, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toss to coat evenly. Season lightly with salt, pepper and the garlic powder. Set aside.

To make the dressing, in a blender, combine the remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, Dijon, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

After the squash has roasted for 10 minutes, add the bread to the other half of the baking sheet. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Remove the squash and bread from the oven and set aside to cool until still warm, but not hot.

Set the romaine in a large bowl, then drizzle with a bit of the dressing and toss well. Divide between 4 serving plates. Top each serving with squash and croutons, then drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle each serving with some of the remaining parmesan.

Makes 4 servings.

PER SERVING: Calories 736 (51% fat), Fat 44 g (8 g sat), Cholesterol 12 mg, Sodium 1,259 mg, Fiber 12 g, Carbohydrates 74 g, Protein 20 g