Butternut Squash and Chickpea Patties

Wash your hands and clean the work surface. Scrub the squash and rinse the lemon under running water before cutting; rinse the greens unless labeled prewashed. Remove any damaged areas and dry the produce thoroughly. Peel and seed the squash, then weigh out 12 ounces of flesh. Chop enough romaine to measure 4 cups. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, measure 3 cups and pat them dry. Heat the oven to 200°F and place a wire rack on a baking sheet.

Finely grate the squash using the small holes of the box grater. Gather it in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture. Finely grate 1 teaspoon of zest from the lemon. Halve the lemon, squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from one half for the dressing, and cut the other half into 4 serving wedges.

Put the chickpeas in the mixing bowl and mash until most are broken down into a coarse paste, leaving a few small pieces for texture. Beat the eggs in the small bowl, then add them to the chickpeas with the squash, flour, lemon zest, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix thoroughly and let stand for 10 minutes so the flour absorbs moisture. The mixture should be thick and hold together when pressed.

While the mixture rests, combine the romaine and spinach in the salad bowl. In the cleaned small bowl, whisk the reserved 1 tablespoon lemon juice with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Keep the dressing separate from the greens until serving.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add 4 patties without crowding and cook for 5–6 minutes on the first side, until golden underneath and firm enough to lift with a wide spatula. Turn carefully and cook for another 5–6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low if they brown too quickly. The squash should be tender, the centers should be set rather than pasty, and a thermometer inserted sideways into the center should register at least 160°F.

Transfer the cooked patties to the rack and keep them warm in the oven. Cook the remaining patties in 2 more batches, using 1 1/2 tablespoons oil for each batch. Check each batch for doneness before transferring it to the oven.

Toss the salad with all the dressing. Divide the 12 patties and salad among 4 plates. Add 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1 lemon wedge to each plate, and serve immediately.