Roasted butternut squash with goat cheese, pecans and maple

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Forthe squash:

1 large (2 ½ - to 3-pound) butternut squash 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Forthe topping:

2 tablespoons maple syrup

Pinch cayenne pepper

1 ½ ounces goat cheese, crumbled (⅓ cup)

⅓ cup pecans, toasted and chopped coarse 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Forthe squash:

1. Adjust the oven rack to the lowest position and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Using a sharp vegetable peeler or chef’s knife, remove the skin and fibrous threads fromthe squash just belowthe skin (peel until the squash is completely orange with no white flesh remaining, roughly⅛ inch deep). Halve the squash lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, on a cutting board and slice crosswise inch thick.

2. Toss the squash with melted butter, salt and pepper until evenly coated. Arrange the squash on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Roast the squash until the side touching the sheet toward the back of the oven iswell browned, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Rotate the sheet and continue to bake until the side touching the sheet toward the back of the oven iswell browned, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove the squash fromthe oven and use ametal spatula to flip each piece. Continue to roast until the squash is very tender and the side touching sheet is browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer.

Forthe topping:

1. While the squash roasts, stir maple syrup and cayenne together in small bowl.

2. Transfer the squash to large serving platter. Drizzle maple mixture evenly over the squash. Sprinkle with goat cheese, pecans and thyme and serve.