An Abundance of Ingredients

An Abundance of Ingredients

Monday, October 24, 2016

Roasted Squash with Garlic, Lime & Chile

From Meg's Kitchen

A year ago Mary and I met up with our other two college roomies in Boston and then headed up to Vermont to see the fall colors (spectacular).  Mary cooked a fantastic dish of butternut squash risotto which she blogged about last May.  I've been waiting for the fall to share another butternut squash recipe (summer just isn't the right season for any kind of squash except summer squashes which are totally different and shouldn't be called squash.  And if it is because of the seed thing why isn't a cucumber and tomato which is supposedly a fruit called a squash or all of them called a fruit?  AND I just "googled" my question and it turns out that cucumber and pumpkin are both technically fruits because a fruit is the part of the plant that develops from the flower and contains the seeds.  True vegetables are stems, leaves, roots, etc.).  Sorry, this is what you get when you read a librarian's blog...

This recipe comes from Eating Well (January/February 2016) and was served to us by a former student/friend of my son (which is a whole other story and I won't go into it here but just know that meeting former students as adults makes me feel old).  I've made a few adjustments and have an alternative lime & chile sauce (which I adapted from a recipe on the internet).


Roasted Squash with Garlic, Lime and Chile

Serves 4.  Prep and cooking time about 45 minutes.

Ingredients:
1 2 1/2-lb. butternut squash (for 2 reduce the squash size but make the full recipe for the sauce)
3 TBSP olive oil (divided)
1/4 tsp salt plus a pinch (divided)
    Sauce:
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 lime
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime zest
1 to 2 tsp minced red jalapeno pepper (red jalapenos have a more mature and deeper flavor than the younger green jalapeno and they have less heat.  But it is OK to use green jalapeno.)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the ends off of the squash and microwave for about 3 minutes.  When it is cool enough to handle peel off the skin using a vegetable peeler (microwaving the squash makes it much easier to peel).  Cut the solid portion of the squash into 1/2-inch thick slices.  Cut the seeded part in half and scrape out the seeds and slice into 1/2-inch thick half circles.  Brush each side of the slices with 1 TBSP oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt.  Place the slices in a single layer on a roasting pan.  

Roast the squash for about 25 minutes turning once halfway through.  The squash should be tender and nicely browned.

Sauce:
While the squash is roasting, heat the remaining 2 TBSP oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic, cumin, and a pinch of salt.  Heat the oil until the garlic turns golden (about 2 minutes).  Remove from heat and add the lime juice, zest and jalapeno.

To serve, spoon the seasoned oil over the squash.

Alternative Sauce:
Ingredients:
1 large clove garlic, roasted (see quick microwave method below)
3 TBSP butter, softened
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 lime
1/2 tsp freshly grated lime zest

Instructions:
Follow the instructions for roasting the squash as above.

Sauce:
In a small dish, mush roasted garlic with the soft butter, cumin and chili powder, and lime zest. Squeeze the juice from the lime into the butter mixture and stir to blend.

When you are ready to serve, top the squash with the lime & chili butter.

How to "roast" a head of garlic in the microwave
Cut the top off of a head of garlic and place it in a small microwave-safe dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and cover.  Microwave for 5 to 6 minutes at 50% power and then test to see if the garlic cloves are soft.  If further cooking is required proceed at 30 second to 1 minute intervals.
  

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