Roasted Butternut Squash, Beef, & Cauliflower Bechamel Layer {Paleo}

Truth #1: This is my new favorite comfort food.

Truth #2: It has zero dairy, zip grains.

Wha??  How is that possible… my favorite creamy comfort food dish, made entirely from vegetables and meat?  But yes, truth it is.  It’s all about the cauli bechamel… which shockingly tastes a lot like the real buttery creamy thing.  With cauliflower, a splash of coconut milk, nutmeg, salt, and pepper, a creamy buttery bechamel flavor can be made.  It is truly my new favorite invention.  You may be skeptical, I realize, but you just wait and see.  😉

Here’s how this all happened in a nutshell…

This dish came about completely on a whim.  About a month ago, I was standing around my kitchen, eyeing a head of cauliflower and large butternut squash that were sitting on my counter with no destined purpose in sight.  I decided, with absolute zero intention in mind, to start crafting aimlessly.  I pulled out some fresh sage, figuring these three ingredients could be the all-stars of whatever dish was to come.

Butternut and sage go beautifully together.  With the rain falling outside, and a chill wafting through the air, I knew I wanted something wintery and warm… spiced somehow, holiday-ish.  What’s more warm and holiday-ish than nutmeg?  Nothing.  So I busted out the nutmeg, brought the cinnamon near, and began imagining.  Then it hit me… a layered squash nutmeggy bechamel something or other was in order.  I’d made cauliflower sauces a plethora of times before, so I knew a cauli bechamel-type thing would work.  But how well it worked, now that was a serious surprise.

In Greece, where my mom is from as you may know from my previous babbles, wintery spices and meat are often combined.  Cinnamon and nutmeg are frequently found in dishes like moussaka and pastitsio, two classic Greek staples.  So I busted out some grass-fed beef and began concocting a slightly spiced meat mixture for my new layered invention.  That’s when I officially determined what this would be.  I had no name for this random concoction (and still have yet to find one! ideas anyone?), but it was decided; a layered roasted butternut squash, spiced ground beef, and cauliflower bechamel dish was about to be born.   And then I fell in love… just one bite in.

makes approx 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

for the cauliflower ‘bechamel’…

1 head of cauliflower (approx 6 cups chopped)

1 cup chicken broth (homemade or good-quality store-bought)

1/4 cup coconut milk (not the light stuff)

1 tbsp ghee or butter

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more to taste

for the meat mixture…

1 lb ground beef, preferably grass-fed (or any other meat you like)

1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion (1 medium onion)

2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)

1 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves (3 large leaves)

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp herbs de Provence

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tbsp ghee, butter or olive oil (I use half ghee, half olive oil)

for roasted butternut…

1 medium-large butternut squash

drizzle olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

for garnish…

7-10 fresh sage leaves

1-2 tbsp ghee or butter

light sprinkle of salt

Note: If you’re a good multi-tasker, you can make each element of the meal at the same time- steam the cauliflower while the squash roasts, blend the sauce while the meat cooks, etc.  If you prefer a more relaxing cooking experience though, make one thing at a time, set it aside, and then move onto the next… that’s the beauty of this meal- each item can just chill while the next is being prepped.  There’s no need for things to be done in any particular order or in any time frame. 🙂

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Begin by prepping the butternut…

Peel the squash with a veggie peeler

This part is a tad tedious, but once this is over, it’s downhill from here 😉

Slice the ends off

Slice the squash in half, and then again lengthwise to quarter…

this helps makes it easier (and safer!) to slice

Scoop all seeds and goop from the center

Slice the squash as evenly as possible into approximately 1/2 inch thick pieces- error on the thin side 😉

You can use a mandolin if you have one big enough, but I find a sharp knife just fine for the job

(They don’t have to be perfect) 🙂

Continue until entire squash is sliced up- some pieces will be half circles, some will be crescent moons…

or smiles depending on how you look it at 🙂

Lay the sliced squash on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil

Generously sprinkle with salt and pepper

You may have to cook the squash in batches to avoid overlapping them- I do two rounds 🙂

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until th squash is completely cooked through

Repeat for batch two, if necessary

Once done, set aside while you prepare remaining ingredients

(You can start the cauliflower while the squash is baking)

To make cauliflower ‘bechamel’…

Remove the leaves and stem from the cauliflower head

Roughly chop into smaller pieces

Add the cauliflower and chicken broth to a large pot (use one with a lid)

Turn heat to medium, cover, and steam the cauliflower for approx 20-30 minutes, until soft

Cooking time will vary depending on how large the cauliflower pieces are

(No need to use a steaming basket- with the lid on, the cauliflower will cook in the steam perfectly)

Add the cauliflower and any chicken broth that’s left in the pot to a blender or food processor

Add the ghee (or butter), nutmeg, coconut milk, salt, and pepper

Blend until smooth and creamy

Depending on the size of your cauliflower head, you may need to adjust things a little…

Add more salt, pepper, or nutmeg to get the taste you like and a super creamy fluffy texture

(You may need up to a 1/2 tsp more salt depending on the size of your cauliflower head,

and I always add a touch more pepper and nutmeg, up to a 1/4 tsp more- I love those flavors together!)

Keep blending until super smooth and creamy- you can’t over blend this stuff!

Set aside to cool while you prepare the meat mixture

To make the meat mixture…

In a large skillet over low-medium heat, add the ghee/oil and diced onion

Add the salt and herbs de Provence

Stir, cover, and cook for 20 minutes

After 20 minutes, the onions should be translucent and nearly caramelized

Chop the garlic, parsley, and sage

Add the herbs and garlic to the onions

Add the meat and ground cinnamon

Turn heat to medium and cook meat until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes, stirring often

One meat is done, you’re ready to assemble…!

In a lightly greased deep baking dish, add half the cooked squash,

laying them in as even a layer as possible to fill all gaps

Top with half the meat mixture

Spread half the cauliflower sauce over the meat

Add the remaining squash, laying it evenly and all the way to the edges

Add the remaining meat mixture

Spread the remaining cauliflower across the top, creating a smooth creamy top layer

Totally optional- use a knife to create little lines across the top- this is purely cosmetic 🙂

Bake on the center rack uncovered for approx 20-30 minutes, until lightly golden around the edges

For garnish…

You want to do this right before serving- these are best when served freshly made and crispy!!

They’ll soften and wilt if they sit out too long {sad face}

Heat ghee or butter in a small pan over medium-high heat

Add the sage leaves

Cook for a few minutes, until a crispy texture forms (they’ll harden more as they cool)

Lay on a paper towel to dry

Sprinkle lightly with salt

Once dish is done, let cool for about 15 minutes to set

I know, it’s painful- if you don’t feel like waiting, no biggie… doing so just makes it

solidify so it has nice-looking clean layers

I didn’t, which is why some of the pics at the top of the post looks all loosely spilled across the plate-

those are the ones I scooped out right away ’cause I had no patience!

The nicely layered looking ones are the ones I cut once it was chilled…

Totally your choice 🙂

See, nice and clean 🙂

Cut into whatever portion you like, top with a crispy sage leaf, and devour!

Enjoy!! 🙂