Celebrate fall with these classic mediterranean dishes by josé andrés | members only

I love being home in Washington, D.C., when fall really sets in. The trees in my neighborhood are an explosion of bright yellow and fiery red colors, and my farmers market is loaded with

vegetables such as squash, pumpkin, turnips and Brussels sprouts. It’s the time of year when I start to look beyond the ripe tomatoes and grilled seafood of late summer and think more about

roasts, soups, and warm spices like cumin, turmeric and nutmeg. They're classic flavors that can be found in abundance at my Zaytinya restaurants, where we celebrate the cuisine of the

Eastern Mediterranean. For this Menus for Two, I'm sharing recipes for my Butternut Hummus, Shawarma Spice Roast Chicken, and Saffron Pilaf. These seasonal dishes come from my newest

cookbook, _Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon_. I’ve combined a few of my favorite fall flavors with these regional spices to create a meal perfect for

any night of the week, inspired by dishes found in my cookbook. Even better, these recipes can be doubled if you want to serve them at a holiday feast.  BUTTERNUT HUMMUS This version of

Butternut Hummus is a take on a classic Lebanese dish of pumpkin and tahini. Thomas Schauer/Courtesy HarperCollins Publishers There seem to be endless versions of hummus these days, from

what gets pureed to what goes on top. I love this version, a take on a classic Lebanese dish of pumpkin and tahini. Butternut squash is a perfect fall ingredient that’s a little easier to

work with. You can find precut squash in most grocery stores. However, if you pick up a whole squash from your farmers market, just use one half of it for soup and the other half for

hummus. Look for kabocha, honeynut, acorn or other seasonal squash. With no chickpeas in this dish, maybe it’s not technically “hummus” (the Arabic word for chickpea), but with its creamy

rich flavor from the tahini, it’s certainly a cousin. INGREDIENTS * 1 pound diced butternut squash * Kosher salt * ¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil * 2 tablespoons tahini * 1

tablespoon za’atar * 1 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin seed oil * 2 tablespoons roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) * Pita bread or pita chips DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 400°F. Toss the squash in the

teaspoon of olive oil and season with salt. Spread the squash on a parchment-lined baking tray and roast until soft and edges are lightly golden, about 25 minutes. Set aside for 15 minutes

to cool. Put the squash in the bowl of a food processor and add the ¼ cup of olive oil and tahini. Puree until you have a nice, fluffy mixture. Scrape down the sides as necessary. If

it's too thick, add a little cold water until you get a smooth consistency. Season to taste with salt.