Roasted Butternut Squash with Brown Butter and Sage
You can steam butternut squash on top of the stove, but the result doesn’t hold a candle to thick chunks of squash that have been roasted until caramelized and meltingly tender. When cloaked with nutty brown butter and crispy fried sage, it brings up visions of autumn. This scrumptious squash is excellent alongside pork.
Ingredients
- 1 butternut squash (about 3 1/4 lbs.)
- 1 Tbs. olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 24 leaves fresh sage
Directions
Preheat an oven to 425°F. Using a sturdy vegetable peeler, peel the squash. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the squash crosswise where the bulbous part meets the narrower part, and trim off the blossom and stem ends. Cut the bulbous part in half vertically and scrape out and discard the seeds and fibers. Cut all of the squash into 1-inch chunks. Spread the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and toss with your hands to coat. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes. Stir the squash and continue roasting until tender and browned, 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven.
In a small frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the sage and cook just until the butter turns a light hazelnut brown and the sage is crisp, about 30 seconds. Immediately pour the brown butter and sage over the squash on the baking sheet and toss to coat. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve. Serves 6 to 8.
Variation: Root vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, parsnips and turnips are also delicious served with brown butter and sage. Cut them all into 1-inch chunks. You can roast them together, mixing and matching the vegetables to suit your taste.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Comfort Food, by Rick Rodgers (Oxmoor House, 2009).