Winter squash au gratin

3/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 large winter squash (3-4 lbs)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon mace
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Toast pine nuts.  Melt butter and cook the onion until soft and beginning to brown. Add the garlic and then put aside in a bowl.  Deglaze the pan with the milk. Add cream, squash, and spices and simmer until squash is soft.   Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 425.

Mix in onions and transfer to lightly greased baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.  If it is not browning on the top, turn on the broiler for a few minutes, watching carefully.  Sprinkle with the reserved pine nuts.

From James McNair's squash cookbook, with minor modifications.

strawberry rhubarb sauce for duck

2 cups duck stock (simmer neck, gizzards, half an onion and a stalk of celery while the duck is cooking)
1/4 cup white port or brandy
1 cup strawberries cut in half (or quarters if large)
1 cup cooked rhubarb with minimal sweetening
grated rind and juice of one lemon
1/4 cup cut up mint leaves

Combine stock, port, strawberries and rhubarb, bring to a boil, and simmer until strawberries are soft.  Stir in lemon rind and juice, then remove from the heat and stir in mint leaves.  Serve over roast duck.

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