FALL’S DELICIOUS delicata Delicata Squash with Hazelnuts and Sage Brown Butter
Fall brings a host of wonderful vegetables including my favorite, delicata squash. I prefer delicata squash to butternut because delicata is so much easier to cut and prep. No peeling required. It’s sweeter than butternut squash and cooks faster, too. Th
Delicata squash with hazelnuts and a sage brown butter makes a great side dish for a family dinner — and a crowd-pleaser for a holiday feast. Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
½ cup hazelnuts
1 pound delicata squash 2 tablespoons olive oil
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 3 fresh sage leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons good-quality butter
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Place hazelnuts on a sheet pan and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and increase heat to 400 degrees. If the hazelnuts still have their skins on, rub the nuts in a kitchen towel to remove the skins. Coarsely chop and set aside.
Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice into ¼-inch moons. Toss the cut squash with the olive oil, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and the cinnamon, then transfer to a sheet pan. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing once during the cooking, until the squash is tender. Transfer to a serving platter. Just before you’re ready to serve, heat the butter in a saute pan over mediumhigh heat until it starts to bubble. Watching closely, cook until the butter browns and starts to smell nutty. Remove from heat and add hazelnuts, chopped sage and a pinch of salt. Pour over the squash and garnish with a sprig of sage.