Maple -Roasted Squash with Charred Lemon

Most of the United States is being assailed with extreme winter weather this week as Arctic air blasts south from Canada (you’re welcome), snow tracks up the Northeast coast and a potentially crippling winter storm takes aim at the South. A cold weather emergency has been activated in Washington, DC, which forced President Donald Trump’s inauguration to be held indoors for the first time since the presidential inauguration of Ronald Reagan in 1985. Instead of fighting the elements, embrace the cold weather with this recipe for maple-roasted winter squash with charred lemon, published in the New York Times.

Maple-Roasted Squash with Charred Lemon

In this surprisingly easy recipe, winter squash and thin slices of lemon are roasted with maple syrup. The maple syrup candies the squash as it roasts, while the charred bits of lemon add a lively, tangy, undertone. A mix of winter squashes will yield the most interesting flavors and textures. My favorite combination is butternut and delicata squash. According to recipe developer Melissa Clark, the only variety to avoid is acorn, which has a starchier texture that doesn’t absorb the syrup as well. With frigid temperatures everywhere, it’s time for winter squash to shine.

Assemble your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 F. and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Slice a lemon lengthwise in half and then slice very thinly into half-moons. Bring a small pot of salted water to boil. Add the lemon slices and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain well and reserve the lemon slices.

Using the same pot, no need to wash it out, combine the maple syrup, butter (dairy or plant-based), and chili powder. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the syrup slightly and reserve.

Lay the squash evenly on the prepared sheet pan and drizzle it with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay the lemon slices on top of the squash and pour the maple syrup reduction on top of everything, coating the squash and lemon slices thoroughly. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the squash can be pierced easily with a knife and the lemons are caramelized. Serve warm or at room temperature and try and restrain yourself from eating the whole thing off the sheet pan when it comes out of the oven.

Print Recipe

Maple-Roasted Squash with Charred Lemon

Vegetables and Sides

By Melissa Clark, New York Times – Serves: 6-8

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 25 minutes – Total Time: 40 minutes

Winter squash and thin slices of lemon are roasted with maple syrup. The maple syrup, candies the squash as it roasts, while the charred bits of lemon, add a lively, tangy, undertone.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, halved lengthwise, seeds removed
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (dairy or plant-based)
• ⅛-¼ teaspoon chili powder
• 3 pounds mixed winter squash (I used a combination of butternut and delicata), seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick crescents, half moons or 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 425 F. and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2

Scrub the outer skin of a lemon. Cut it lengthwise in half and then slice it very thinly into half-moons. Bring a small pot of salted water to boil. Add the lemon slices and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain well and reserve the lemon slices.

3

Using the same pot, no need to wash it out, combine the maple syrup, butter (dairy or plant-based), and chili powder. Simmer for 2 minutes to thicken the syrup slightly and reserve.

4

Lay the squash evenly on the prepared sheet pan and drizzle it with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Lay the lemon slices on top of the squash and pour the maple syrup reduction on top of everything, coating the squash and lemon slices. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the squash can be pierced easily with a knife and the lemons are caramelized. Serve warm or at room temperature.