Roasted Squash

America’s Test Kitchen created their recipe based on one from famous chef Ottolenghi. Here I am adapting it to impart some Brazilian flavours to the squash.

Ingredients:

 

• 1 large (2 1/2 to 3-pound) butternut squash
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 pimenta de cheiro
• 3 additional tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted
• 2 inches of fresh ginger grated
• cilantro
• 1 Tablespoon of lime juice

Procedure:

 

1. Prepping the Squash
   • Using sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove skin and fibrous threads from squash just below skin (peel until squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly 1/8 inch deep).
   • Halve squash lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Place squash, cut side down, on cutting board and slice crosswise 1/2 inch thick.
   • Put squash in a large bowl, toss squash with salt and let it sit for half hour
2. Prep the Squash
   • Preheat oven to 425 F and place a light-colour roasting pan in the oven.
   • Mince the two pimenta de cheiro very finely.
   • Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and mix well with the minced pimenta de cheiro and the ground coriander.
   • Drain any liquid that accumulated in the squash bowl.
   • Toss the squash with the seasoned melted butter.
3. Roast the Squash
   • Remove hot roasting pan from the oven and dump the squash in it, arranging it in a single layer.
   • Roast squash until side touching sheet toward back of oven is well browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
   • Rotate sheet and continue to bake until side touching sheet toward back of oven is well browned, 6 to 10 minutes.
   • Remove squash from oven and use metal spatula to flip each piece.
   • Continue to roast until squash is very tender and side touching sheet is browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
4. Finish Seasoning
   • Grate the ginger using a ginger grater to make a liquid paste, avoid long ginger fibres in the paste.
   • Mince the cilantro.
   • Melt the additional three tablespoons of butter.
   • Add the grated ginger, minced cilantro, tablespoon of lemon juice to the melted butter and mix well.
   • Drizzle the seasoned butter on top of the roasted squash and toss it well.
   • Sprinkle more minced cilantro over the squash.