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Jim Dixon wrote about food for WW for more than 20 years, but these days most of his time is spent at his olive oil-focused specialty food business Wellspent Market. Jim’s always loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to cook by sending them recipes every week through his newsletter. We’re happy to have him back creating some special dishes just for WW readers.
The most important thing to remember about winter squash is that the most popular variety, the smooth-skinned butternut, is the worst winter squash. While the outer skin of every other winter squash is perfectly edible, the butternut’s hard, flinty outer shell isn’t, and if you miss even a tiny speck while peeling, you’ll know when you bite into it. The round, more pumpkin-like varieties also taste better. Their flesh is a bit drier and sweeter than butternut. The oblong delicata, while not quite as good as some varieties, is still much better than a butternut.
The big squash can be daunting, but fortunately it’s easy to find smaller versions roughly the size of a melon so you don’t end up eating winter squash for a week. To get one of these little beauties ready to eat, start by cutting it in half, either straight down from the stem (or next to it; the stem is very hard) or around the equator. Cut each piece in half again so it’s easier to access the seeds.
I like to roast them, and I use the tip of a spoon to separate the seeds from the stringy membrane while it’s still inside the squash. Once the seeds are out, scrape the stringy part out of the squash and discard it. Place the seeds—and it’s OK if they have some membrane attached—in a skillet with some olive oil and salt and roast at 350 degrees until they’re lightly browned and a little crispy.
Cut the squash, unpeeled, into slices or chunks, and toss them in a bowl with a little olive oil and salt. Then spread them onto a sheet pan and roast at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until they’re very tender. Roasted squash is pretty good plain, but it’s even better with some kind of sauce.
Roasted Winter Squash With Walnut Raisin Sauce
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped
- ½ cup golden raisins, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon kosher-style sea salt
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
Combine the olive oil, walnuts, anchovies, raisins, vinegar and honey in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
While the walnut mixture cooks, chop the garlic with the salt (put the cloves on your cutting board, cover with the salt, and chop). Add to the walnut mix and remove from heat. Spoon over the roasted squash.