Pan Fried Butternut Squash Salad

... pan fried butternut squash salad ...

From Mary

I need to make this. 

Soon. 

Thank you Globe and Mail.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons skinned hazelnuts

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

4 ¾-inch slices of butternut squash, cut into rounds and peeled and seeded if needed

2 tablespoons butter

2 Granny Smith apples, cut into ¾-inch slices

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Salt to taste

½ a green onion, finely sliced

10 large mint leaves

Method

Heat a toaster oven or oven to 325 F, place the hazelnuts on a tray and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool, place on a cutting board and crush with the bottom of small pot until broken into large chunks but not powdery. Set aside.

Place a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the sunflower oil. Place the squash rounds in the pan and let them cook for 4 to 5 minutes. You want them heavily caramelized, almost burned. Flip the squash over and repeat the cooking process on the other side. Once cooked, remove from pan, cut in half and keep somewhere warm. If your pan is not big enough to cook all the pieces of squash at once, do this in batches.

Heat a small pan over medium and add the butter. Once the butter starts frothing, keep a close eye on it and remove once the milk solids floating in the butter are a dark nutty brown. Remove immediately from the heat and place in a bowl.

Slice apple pieces into finger-width batons.

Assemble the salad: Place the apple and squash in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Coat with the butter and vinegar and season with salt. Taste for seasoning and add more vinegar or salt if necessary. 

Gently combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. 

Check for seasoning once more. 

Slide onto a plate and serve immediately.