Butternut squash steaks, beautiful memories: cooking with my MasterChef friend Kimberly Karver

Provided.

Daniela and Kimberly.

Last week, I had the chance to reconnect with my friend Kimberly Karver, and it was magical. We first met on MasterChef Generations, both earning our white MasterChef aprons and representing Team Gen X. Fun fact: we were two of the shortest competitors in the kitchen, standing side-by-side, two GenX "BFFs" with our own unique stories. Over the course of the competition, and even more so over the past year, we have discovered how much we share in common during our exchange of letters and video chats, many of which we have shared on our social media pages.

Kimberly is an amazing gardener who wowed the judges with her cauliflower steak, which earned her a spot on the show, and I have since gone mostly plant-based while studying plant-based culinary arts. It's funny how life works, MasterChef brought us together, and we have continued to share our passion for cooking, gardening and healthy plant-forward meals.

This past week, Rick and I were in Northern California, and I couldn't resist visiting Kimberly. She invited me to assist with her first official private dinner party. It was so much fun cooking together again, while we sipped on Tehachapi Malbec from Rancho de los Viajeros Vineyard and chatted away. But this time there were no timers, no pressure and no Gordon Ramsay giving us his signature glare.

Kimberly created a beautiful menu using fresh, seasonal ingredients. The menu was a celebration of fall which included:

• A Harvest Salad with greens, pomegranate, pine nuts, persimmons, goat cheese and topped with a maple Dijon dressing.

• Butternut Steak with Chermoula Sauce (a North African sauce made with fresh herbs), served on braised kale, Swiss chard and cannellini beans, topped with seared shiitake mushrooms and a Parmesan crisp.

• And for dessert, a refreshing Mandarin Granita with dark chocolate.

The star of the meal was the butternut squash steaks, cooked with butter and sage until they were tender and flavorful. They reminded me so much of our friendship. Like the squash, our friendship started as something simple but grew into something rich and deeply nourishing.

It's moments like these that remind me of the gift MasterChef gave me, not just the opportunity to compete but the chance to meet someone like Kimberly.

With her permission, this week I am excited to share her recipe for butternut squash steaks and my Chermoula sauce, we hope you enjoy!

To connect with Daniela on social media where she shares fun food facts, recipes, upcoming events and classes, you can find her on Instagram @thedanielaperegrina and on Facebook @dragonflydaniela (Daniela Peregrina) or you can email her at [email protected].

Provided.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash (long neck portion preferred)

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

• 4 fresh sage leaves (thyme can also be used)

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the butternut squash: Peel the butternut squash and slice the neck into 1-inch-thick "steaks." Aim for even thickness to ensure consistent cooking. Score on both sides in a criss-cross pattern.

2. Preheat the oven: 400°F.

3. Pan-sear the 'steaks': Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the squash steaks with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet and sear for 7 minutes on one side, or until golden brown. Flip the steaks and sear the other side for another 7 minutes.

4. Add butter and sage: Place a small pat of butter (about 1/2 tablespoon) on top of each steak, along with a sage leaf.

5. Finish in the oven: Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and roast for approximately 10 minutes, or until the squash is soft and tender when pierced with a fork.

6. Serve: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Plate the squash steaks and spoon over any remaining butter and sage sauce from the skillet. Serve with chermoula sauce and a side of choice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1 small lemon

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients and let the chermoula sit for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld. This is a great sauce or marinade that can be used on any vegetable or protein of choice.