Roasted Winter Squash with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage

As a vegetable farmer, I eat with the seasons and rely on the abundance of whatever’s being harvested. At this particular moment with spring slowly warming the Pacific Northwest soil, I find myself face to face with a kitchen cupboard overly abundant with this past season’s winter squash. Did I mention the squash is overly abundant? This ripe dilemma is perfect for a Passover meal where we speak of leaving Mitzrayim in search of freedom, and renew our commitments to personal, spiritual, and political liberation. Out with the old, in with the new, right?

This Passover, I’ll feed my friends and family roasted winter squash with browned sage butter to nourish their bodies and empty my kitchen of a winter gone by! I’ve found this recipe is best with Sibley squash, a gorgeous oblong shaped heirloom variety that smells like cantaloupe when fresh and tastes like sweet butter when roasted. However, any winter squash (including acorn or butternut) will do.

Ingredients:

• 1 Sibley squash
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 fresh sage Leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the squash in half through the stem and core. Scoop out the seeds and stringy bits using a spoon. Turn the squash cut-side-down and slice into ¾-inch-thick pieces.
3. Rub the squash slices with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet or roasting pan and roast for 30-45 minutes until golden brown and fork tender. The sweet smell of roasting is a good indicator of doneness!
5. As you wait for the squash, add the butter into a pan over medium low heat. Slowly melt and brown the butter until it turns a deep golden color. Watch carefully and stir often to keep it from scorching.
6. Roughly chop the sage leaves and add them to the butter and cook until crispy, about two minutes.
7. Arrange the roasted squash slices onto a plate or platter. Drizzle with the brown butter and crispy sage.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Savor that first bite.

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