 |
| roasted butternut by Rex Roof on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 |
This recipe is a fall staple in my household, when butternut squash come in season. This can easily be a meal all on it's own, or paired with chicken or ham as an additional protein, and garlic mashed potatoes for a comforting feast.
Prep: 30 minutes ~ Cook: 45 minutes ~ Serves: 4
You'll need...
- 2 medium or 1 large butternut squash (any winter squash, even pumpkin, would work well instead)
- 1 head of garlic, separated but not peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 8 slices bacon
- 1 bunch of sage leaves (do not skimp on the sage!)
Culinary engineering...
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Peel and seed squash, cutting into 1-inch cubes. Place the squash and whole, unpeeled garlic cloves in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Mix until the squash and garlic are well coated.
- Grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Spread the squash and garlic evenly on the sheet, and bake for 30 minutes, turning once after 15 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, remove the sheet from the oven. Lay the bacon slices over the squash, and sprinkle the sage leaves over top. Bake for about 15 minutes more minutes, until the squash and garlic are tender and caramelized. Remove the bacon strips to paper towels, and allow to briefly drain. Chop the bacon into 1-inch pieces, and then toss with the squash, garlic, and sage.
- Season to taste. Glory awaits your tastebuds!
