Recipe: Butternut, Leek, and Broccoli Timbales and Article: Timbales

TIMBALES

Dishes with exotic names intimidate many cooks, but these colorful, velvety timbales are a snap to make.

Timbales were once a complicated affair, consisting of a molded pastry shell packed with a minced filling. They could be small, individual accompaniments or a large, impressive main dish like the infamous Timballo in the movie "The Big Night," a masterpiece of cooked pasta, meat and sauces.

Actually, a timbale can be as simple as cooked rice firmly packed into a well-greased custard cup, then unmolded onto a dinner plate, alongside the entr e. The timbales below take that more modest direction.

The only equipment needed is standard, half-cup size custard cups, or any other heat- proof mold you want to use. The main work is preparing the vegetables, and even that is simplified. When you bake the cubed squash, which concentrates its sweetness, the skin can then be pared away far more easily than before the squash is cooked.

I am a fan of crunchy vegetables, but for these timbales, you must cook the broccoli well. Undercooking it makes a grainy pur e. Spoon only a bit of pur e at a time into each cup. Smooth the surface carefully and then, before adding more pur e, rap the bottom of the mold sharply on the counter. This helps eliminate air pockets that spoil the smooth look of a timbale.

BUTTERNUT, LEEK, AND BROCCOLI TIMBALES

"These timbales are so good you may want to serve them as an entr e. Two served with cooked brown rice or quinoa pilaf make a lovely meatless meal."

2 lb. butternut squash
5 cups chopped broccoli florets and peeled stems
1 leek, white part only, finely chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 egg whites
1 tsp. salt
freshly-grated nutmeg and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut squash in half. Scoop out and discard seeds. Cut squash into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Place cubes on a large square of aluminum foil, skin side down. Spray well with cooking oil spray. Seal squash in foil and place packet on a baking sheet. Roast 40 minutes or until squash is soft. Remove from oven, open foil and let squash cool until it can be handled.

While squash cooks, put broccoli and leek in a pot with chicken broth. Cover tightly and steam until broccoli is very soft, about 12 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a food processor. Add one egg white, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 3 to 4 gratings of fresh nutmeg and black pepper (or 1/8 teaspoon each). Pur e.

When squash is cool enough to handle, cut away peel. Pur e squash in a food processor with remaining egg white, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 6 to 8 gratings of fresh pepper (or 1/4 teaspoon). Set aside. There will be about 2 cups of pur e.

Spray four oven-proof 6-ounce custard cups with cooking oil spray. Spoon 1/2 cup pur ed squash into a cup, 2 tablespoons at a time. Smooth squash with the back of a teaspoon to eliminate air pockets before adding more. Spread a quarter of the broccoli mixture over the squash, pressing it firmly. (The cup will be filled to the top.)

Place the four filled cups on a baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until broccoli is slightly puffed and feels firm in the center. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a sharp, thin knife between timbales and sides of the cups. Invert over a plate, then lift and remove cup. If some squash remains in the cup, smooth it onto the timbale with a rubber spatula.

Makes 2 servings, as a main dish or 4 servings as a side dish, each containing 103 calories and 1 gram of fat
Adapted from source: Dana Jacobi for the American Institute