Roasted Butternut Squash

This recipe is pareve and vegan, so it can be a wonderful side dish to any meat or can serve as a main course for those with dietary restrictions.

Food Editor’s Note:  I have had roasted butternut squash before, and even roasted butternut squash with dried cranberries.  But I had never had roasted butternut squash with dried cranberries, sweet onions, cinnamon, and toasted pine nuts – an intriguing combination that turned out to be easy, colorful, and delicious!  It is sweet and tangy and earthy, smooth and chewy and crunchy, all at the same time.  This recipe is one of the winners of the 2003 ShalomBoston.com High Holiday Recipe Contest – for good reason as you will see!

Ingredients
2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 3/4-1 inch pieces
(This takes most of the kitchen time, so I do this the day before I plan to serve the dish and store the pieces in a container in the refrigerator.)
1 large or 2 small sweet onions, peeled and sliced thinly
4-6 tablespoons olive oil or margarine
[Food Editor’s note: I used the lesser amount and it was definitely enough.]
1/2 cup Craisins (dried sweetened cranberries)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the oil into a shallow baking dish large enough to accommodate the squash pieces in a single layer, covering all surfaces well.  Add the squash and onions and coat them well with the oil.  Place in the preheated oven for approximately 35 minutes, tossing once midway through.  Add Craisins and spices, toss again, and cook for another 15 minutes.

Garnish: Toasted pine nuts (about 3 tablespoons) may be tossed on top and a bit of fresh parsley adds to the beautiful fall color scheme of the pumpkin and red tones!

Yield: About 8 servings

Esther Heimberg, a member of Congregation Beth El of the Sudbury River Valley, only acknowledges birthdays which are multiples of chai and will probably be serving this dish in her geodesic sukkah this fall!

Roasted Butternut Squash
ShalomBoston.com