I was having an IM conversation with my friend Heather about one of our favorite topics: food. She was telling me about a dish she made recently using butternut squash. I told her about a really great butternut squash lasagna Annie and I made a couple months ago. The recipe, which comes from Michael Chiarello, calls for the squash to be tossed with oil and a fennel and cinnamon spice blend and then roasted in the oven. The squash is then supposed to be pureed with some ricotta cheese but when Annie and I made it we couldn't stop picking at the toasty, hot chunks of spiced squash. We both agreed that it would be great on it's own, as a side dish. So the other night I decided to give it a try.
INGREDIENTS
2 large butternut squash, about 3 to 5 pounds
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 tablespoon Fennel and Cinnamon Spice Blend, recipe follows
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Fennel and Cinnamon Spice Blend:
3 tablespoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Salt
METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
First make the spice blend: Grind fennel with mortar and pestle. Add the cinnamon and salt and continue grinding. Or grind in spice grinder for a rough grind. There will be extra spice blend left over, probably enough for another batch of squash. It would probably be good on sweet potato as well.
Next, Using a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, remove the squash's hard shell. Trim about 1/2-inch off the top and bottom ends so you can set each section of the squash flat on a cutting board. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the seeds out with a spoon, and coarsely chop the squash into 1/2-inch chunks. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a bowl, toss the squash with the oil, sage, spice blend, and 1 teaspoon salt and fresh ground pepper. Spread the squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in the oven until very soft and beginning to brown, 30 to 45 minutes, stirring once or twice.
You know, sometimes simplicity is best. This is a perfect case in point. Other than salt and pepper, the spice blend has only two ingredients but it's just amazing. It's really interesting because cinnamon can be really overpowering if too much is used. When the squash was baking, the cinnamon aroma was quite pronouced but something happens in the oven and once it's finished, the spices have blended really nicely so that no one stands out. It's very subtle. Depending on how long it's roasted, the squash ends up crisp on the outside, soft, sweet, and almost buttery on the inside.
It's a great side dish for any roast, since they can cook at the same time in the oven, although it would also be great tossed in a salad, maybe with some goat cheese or something. I served it along with a pork tenderloin that I roasted with some sprigs of thyme and a warm salad of Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Arugula.
One squash will serve 2.
Oh my, but that looks tasty.
Posted by: Rorie | March 06, 2006 at 11:50 AM
A perfect recipe to try during these (hopefully last few) cold days. Thanks!
Posted by: Vaguely Urban | March 07, 2006 at 11:04 AM
i just made this, and it's so good. just as awesome as you described it, but also with a wonderfully rich spicy smell from the oven.
i'm def going to try this with a variety of squash when they're more in season.
Posted by: cereus | July 11, 2007 at 05:59 PM
I just made this. Thanks for the recipe. It's delicious.
I didn't need to make nearly as much as I did so I put them in plastic ware and stuck the rest in the fridge. I hope it reheats well.
Posted by: charity | September 23, 2007 at 08:34 PM
Just made this for Dinner. My mom was a bit hesitant about the idea of Butternut Squash, but after eating it she couldn't stop raving and had extra. I kinda think I used too much of the blend when coating the squash, but it was really quite wonderful.
Posted by: Max | November 11, 2008 at 07:05 PM
I adore butternut squash and have just cut one in half and put it in the oven to roast!
Thanks for the recipe! I'm sure it'll be on my favourites list!
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I have recently read that a dash of Ground Cinnamon on food can lower Diabetes
mg/dl.Do you have any articles on this subject?
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