Chef notes
This glazed and roasted squash is tasty and filling enough to stand alone as a vegetarian entrée, or serve it alongside your favorite protein during your next dinner party. The hasselback technique requires a little bit of finicky prep work, but I promise the results are totally worth it!
Technique tip: Place dinner knives, chopsticks or cake dowels on each of the long sides of the squash to stop the knife before it hits the cutting board.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/3 pound feta cheese, drained
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon finely minced parsley
- 4 large sage leaves, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon)
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
For the squash:
1.Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.Cut squash in half lengthwise to make two long halves. Scoop out the seeds and peel the skin of the outside. Rub all over with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves cut-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Roast about 15-20 minutes, just until the squash begins to soften (test by inserting a paring knife into the squash-it should go in slightly, but not slide in all the way).
3.Remove from oven and let cool slightly before transferring to a cutting board. Use a knife to cut crosswise slits 1/4-inch apart along the length of the squash halves, cutting as deep as you can without slicing all the way through.
4.Return the squash halves to the baking sheet, scored side up. Drizzle with olive oil, letting the oil fall into the slits. Roast for another 20 minutes.
5.While the squash is in the oven, prepare the maple glaze. Combine the maple syrup, butter and nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, whisking occasionally. Let cook about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
6.Pour half the glaze over the squash and continue roasting for a final 20-30 minutes, checking it every ten minutes, until the squash is very tender and the glaze has caramelized. Let cool on pan for a few minutes, then gently transfer the squash to a serving platter. Drizzle with the reserved glaze.
For the herbed feta crumble:
Use your hands to crumble the feta into a medium sized bowl. Add the dried oregano, minced parsley, sage, thyme leaves (discard stems), lemon zest and several generous grinds of black pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil (no more than a teaspoon or two). Toss to coat.
To serve:
Top the butternut squash with the herbed feta crumble and serve.
