KABOCHA SALAD

KABOCHA?
Kabocha is a type of squash widely consumed in Japan. It is rich in ß-carotene, vitamin E and fiber.

Ingredients  Serves 4

• 1/4 kabocha squash, about 8 ounces (220 g)
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh cream
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Direction

• Using a knife, remove parts of the peel here and there from the kabocha
• then cut the kabocha into large bite-size pieces
• Fill a medium-sized pot half full with water
• add the kabocha pieces, and boil for 15 minutes, then drain and allow to cool
• Combine the mayonnaise, cream and sugar in a bowl
• then add the kabocha and toss well
• Arrange on a serving plate and garnish with a few kabocha leaves, if available.

Pinot Gris
Dessert Wine

On top of the kabocha’s naturally sweet flavors, you have mayonnaise and freash cream giving a dish that is quite sweet.  Halbtorcken wines from Germany work well, but avoid Rieslings as their inherently high acidity doesn’t work.  Pinot Gris also pairs well when produced in a rich riper style from California or New Zealand.  A tip for the avant-garde: if you are the type of person who puts black pepper on your ice cream, maybe try serving this as a dessert with a “sticky,” as the dessert wines from Australia and New Zealand are known locally, but again be sure to avoid those with excessive acidity.