Savoury Roasted Butternut Squash
I cooked this dish for my sister who had never tried squash before in her life. She had issues with the texture of the squash, which kind of confused me since the name matches the texture! So if you have never had squash let me try to explain it to you; it has a mild flavour that can be complemented with sweet or savoury seasoning. It tastes like a very mild pumpkin; earthy and mildly sweet. This is a savoury recipe perfect for a cold October or November night. Please try this, it’s easy and insane yummy. Also, the health benefits to squash are huge.
Serves 4 to 6
1lb butternut squash, peeled and cut into one inch cubes
1 Large red (Bermuda) onion, chopped into cubes
3 Cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
5 or 6 sprigs fresh thyme
Coarse salt (up to 1 tsp; season more than you think you need)
Pepper (up to 1/2 tsp; again, season more than you think you need)
Preheat oven to 400
In an oven safe baking dish, add all the ingredients, toss lightly to mix the oil and seasoning evenly around the vegetables.
Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 50 minutes. The squash should be fork tender and the onions should have a slight char on them.
Remove the sprigs of thyme when the dish is cooked.
Notes:
1. Leave the thyme sprigs whole because the leaves will fall off the stems as the dish bakes in the oven.
2. Make sure you shake the pan every 15 minutes or so just to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
3. This can be served right away, at room temperature, or even cold.
4. This is great for leftovers as well!
5. Add 1 Large field tomato, chopped into one inch cubes if you have it on hand (I didn’t!).
How to peel a squash:
I have tried all different tips and the best thing I have come up with is to use a sharp knife and to take your time. Cut the ends off the squash to give you a level surface to work on. Then slowly and carefully peel the skin off the squash rotating as needed.
OR:
Slice the squash in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to clean out all of the seeds and pulp. Place the squash slices flesh side down on a baking sheet. Roast in a 400 oven for 2o minutes. Set it aside to cool and once cool, it’ll pretty much pop out of the skin.
