Butternut Jewels (Naturally Gluten, Dairy and Nut Free)

Winter squash has always been one of my favorites. My hubby's too. For years, I made roasted acorn squash halves with a pat of butter and a little brown sugar in the cavity. If I was feeling adventurous, I'd add a pinch of cinnamon. Boy was I boring! 


It's not that this traditional approach isn't good, it's just that it isn't the best way to feature winter squash. I'd like to offer this variation for a time when you're in the mood to change it up a bit and see what winter squash can really be about!


Any winter squash can be used in this preparation, but by far my favorite is butternut. It's not that I don't like the other varieties of winter squash, it's just that the butternut is so good that I have a hard time appreciating the variations that come with the others. So, use what you like and is available, and most importantly on sale! 


What I love about this preparation is that, when perfectly roasted, the squash becomes tender, the color intensifies and the caramel bits that form are absolutely delicious. On it's own, it's heavenly! Sweet and better than any candy you've ever eaten. And, it's versatile as you can also use it as a featured ingredient in a number of other dishes. Ina Garten has a salad that features roasted butternut squash with a cider dressing. There are a number of chefs with television shows who make winter squash risotto. In fact, this past weekend, we were at an upscale seafood restaurant in downtown Indy and butternut risotto was featured on their. I've also seen it used as an ingredient in various soups from a number of culinary cultures as well as an unexpected addition to savory dishes, like enchiladas. Whatever way you choose to enjoy these little gems, just make sure you do. It's something you won't want to miss!


Butternut Jewels (a.k.a., roasted butternut squash chunks)

• 1 butternut squash, washed and dried with paper towels
• olive oil, not EVOO
• kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425. Set aside a 11x17 baking pan. Depending on the size of your squash, you may need two. 

Begin by placing the squash on it's side on a cutting board. With a heavy, sharp knife, remove the stem from the top and the belly button from the bottom. Next, cut the squash in half where the neck meets the bulb so that you have a long thinner neck piece and a round bulb piece. 

Using a vegetable peeler, begin with the neck of the squash and remove all of the peel from the outside of the squash. Once you have a clean squash neck, go back to your knife and use it to cut the neck in half lengthwise so that you have 2 long pieces of squash. Cut each piece in half again lengthwise and each length into 1.5 to 2" chunks. Move the chunks to the baking pan. 

To clean the bulb end of the squash, begin by removing all of the peel. Then use your large knife to cut the bulb in half from "top to bottom". Now you have a choice, you can use a grapefruit spoon to scrape out the seeds, or you can cut the two halves into smaller chunks and remove the seeds and insides by cutting them away with your knife. Until recently, I used the scraping method, but I have come to appreciate the quick ease of the knife approach. Choose the method with which you are most comfortable. Move the chunks of squash to the baking pan.


Take a moment to assess whether you need a second pan to cook all of the squash. It's better to err on the side of caution in this case as too much squash on a single baking sheet will not caramelized, but rather steam... and, well, if you want steamed squash, there's a much faster way!

Pour a generous drizzle of olive oil over the mound of squash chunks on your baking pan (4-6 tbsp). Don't skimp on the oil as it serves a dual purpose. First, it helps to season the squash. Second, it keep the squash from sticking to the pan. Sprinkle the mound of squash with salt and add a few grinds of pepper. Using clean hands, "stir" the squash around and over top one another to ensure that the oil and spices are evenly distributed. 

Place the squash pieces in a single layer on the baking pan. I find that when I take time to ensure that the chunks of squash are in a single layer and evenly distributed, I get a much better product in the end as all of the chunks are cooked to perfection so avoiding any underdone or overdone chunks.

Place the baking pan on the middle rack in the oven and allow to cook for 35-45 minutes. Check squash after 25 minutes to stir and determine the length of cooking time that remains. 

When the squash is caramelized and a fork indicates the squash is tender, remove the baking pan from the oven and allow to cool a bit before serving or using as an ingredient in the dish.

~Enjoy!