New York Fashion Week is in full swing again, which means only one thing: Spring is just around the corner! Rather than focusing on our favorite new prints and textures for the coming season, we’ve honed in one just one trend this week: food, of course!
From Diane Von Furstenburg to Proenza Schouler, we’re noticing more chia parfaits and leafy greens backstage at NYFW, thanks to deliveries from hotspots like New York’s Dig Inn that are delivering fresh and balanced meals right into the fashion mayhem.
Less cigarettes and champagne, more green juice and… okay, champagne. We’re happy to see these kinds of healthful shifts happen in the very influential, very visible parts of the fashion world. With all the chatter about models’ weight these days, we’re less inclined to believe in the power of legislating BMI’s and more inclined to believe in the power of a good kale salad to help balance out the whole scene. We’re never trite about the issue of weight (or were we just?), but at least the healthy meal delivery trend is moving us all in the right direction.
Here’s one dish, straight from the runway: Dig Inn’s winter squash salad with tahini dressing, veggies and spices. Get a gander at their entire menu here.
During the winter months you’ll find a medley of fresh squash in the Dig Inn test kitchen. Sourced from our various farms – we use everything from delicata to acorn, butternut, kabocha, blue hubbard, and a new variety called butterkin.
Most winter menus feature roasted squash in some form, but adding it to a salad offers a novel way to enjoy this seasonal favorite. Combined with our homemade cardamom raisins and tahini dressing, our deceptively simple salad is sure to bring a little warmth to the table.
Dig Inn’s Winter Squash, Tahini + Radicchio Salad with Cardamom Raisins
Serves 4 for a light starter
Ingredients:
1 acorn squash
2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 Tbsp + ¼ cup honey
1 Tbsp olive oil
½ head of radicchio
¼ cup tahini
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon salt
juice of 2 lemons
3 Tbsp warm water
¼ cup raisins
1/8 tsp cardamom, ground
½ cup water
¼ cup honey
Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash the acorn squash, cut in half, and scoop out the seeds.
Slice the squash into about 24 large crescent shaped slices, leaving the skin on. Toss the squash with 1 tablespoon of honey, cinnamon, and olive oil. Place on a lined sheet tray.
Transfer tray to the oven and cook for about 12-15 minutes, or until the squash is lightly charred on the edges and just tender all the way through. Be careful not to overcook. While the squash is cooking, prepare the other ingredients.
To make the raisins, combine them with the remaining honey, water, and cardamom in a small pot. Bring to a simmer and cook on a very low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the raisins have plumped and the sauce has become syrupy. Remove from heat and cool.
To make the dressing, place the minced garlic in a bowl with the salt, lemon juice and tahini paste, before slowly drizzling in the warm water. If sauce seizes and gets lumpy—simply drizzle in a little more water until the dressing is smooth again. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
To assemble the dish, cut the half head of radicchio into long ribbons, removing the core. Place in a large bowl, with the squash. Toss in the raisins and their syrup and then drizzle the lot with about 3 tablespoons of the tahini dressing.
