This dish is great as a side or as a base to stack things like cooked greens and grains on. I like to use a rack to cook these on so they can crisp on both sides, but if you don’t have a rack, just use a well oiled piece of foil on a sheet pan.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large or 2 medium butternut squash, bulbous end removed and reserved for another use, peeled, and sliced into ½ inch discs ¼ cup neutral flavored oil such as grapeseed or canola ¼ cup fragrant honey 1 garlic clove, peeled and split 1 pinch powdered cinnamon or a 2 inch sprig of fresh rosemary, crushed with the flat of a knife Salt and pepper to tasteMETHOD:
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Place the squash into a large bowl.
Warm the oil in a small pan over low heat. You just want to warm the oil enough to liquefy the honey and extract flavor from the aromatics.
When the oil is warm, pour in the honey, and stir to incorporate it into the oil. Add the garlic clove and the cinnamon or rosemary, and stir to mix in. Allow to heat up until fragrant.
Remove from the heat and let cool down for a couple minutes.
Strain the mixture over the squash, tossing to thoroughly coat the discs. Season with salt and pepper, again tossing to evenly coat.
Place the discs on a lightly oiled rack over a sheet pan, or directly onto a well oiled sheet pan, and place in the middle of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
Cook until golden and tender. If you have cooked the squash directly on the sheet pan, you might need to flip the discs part way through to ensure browning on both sides.
Serve hot or at room temperature as part of a starter salad or in a sandwich.
Chef’s Notes and Tips:
This dish lends itself to many variations. You could add butter to the honey/oil mix for a richer flavor, and the honey you choose will of course make a difference. The seasonings, too, will change the dish. I frequently like to use cumin and coriander with cinnamon and garlic with a little oregano for a Southwestern flair. Lavender, cardamom, and black pepper are a nice combination with winter squashes also. This method could be applied to cubes of squash as well. That way, you can use the entire squash. Just prep the whole squash and cut it into ½ inch cubes. Proceed as in the instructions, but adjust to cooking time to accommodate the smaller size bits by shaving off around 10 minutes. Of course, unless you have a very tight meshed rack, you will be cooking these directly on the sheet pan.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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