Autumn Squah Flan

2 ½ cups thick puree of cooked squash
1 tsp. salt
2 ½ cups skim milk
1/3 cup semolina
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 Tbs. + 2 tsp. butter
5 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs. Molasses
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 medium onion
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ cup small walnut pieces
1 ½ oz. Roquefort cheese, crumbled

Seed & peel the squash and cut into pieces. Simmer in about 1” of water and a little salt, tightly covered, until it is falling apart. Add a little water as necessary. When completely tender, remove, the lid, raise the heat, and stir constantly as you cook away all the excess moisture. Then mash the pulp or puree in a food processor (should have the consistency of a thick applesauce). (Or, roast in the oven)

Heat the milk in a medium-sized saucepan and whisk in the semolina, cornmeal, and 2 tsp. of butter. Continue stirring with a whisk or a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens, then remove it from the heat, let it cool for about 5 minutes, and whisk in the beaten eggs a little at a time.

Stir in the squash puree, the molasses, ½ tsp. of salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Whisk all this together or process it in a blender for a few seconds – the mixture should be silky smooth, with no lumps. Taste, and add more salt if needed.

Peel and quarter the onion and slice it rather thickly. Saute the onion in a tablespoon of butter with the ginger and a dash of salt until it begins to color. Lower the heat and keep cooking the onion until it is an even caramel color. Stir the walnut pieces and the crumbled cheese gently into the squash mixture; the cheese should not get too mushy and blend into the custard, but rather should stay in distinct lumps. Pour the mixture into a large, shallow, buttered baking dish, and scatter the sautéed onions over the top. Put the flan into a preheated 400° oven; after 10 minutes, lower the heat to 350 and bake for 40-45 minutes more. Serve hot or warm. Serves 6-8.

Serve with chipotle sauce.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user WHISTLEPEAWORKS.