Maple Glazed Oven Roasted Acorn Squash

It is sometimes hard to get a picky person to eat something new, or something they are not sure of. Enter in my wife, who took one look at the acorn squash that I bought, and promptly decided that she would not like it.

Acorn squash gets its name from the distinctive ridges. When you view it, it looks like a large green acorn. When you are looking for an acorn squash, choose one that is heavy to the touch, and avoid the ones with bruises or cuts in the flesh. At the best the squash’s skin will preserve the insides for a very long time, hence the name “winter squash”.

As with most squash, acorn squash is usually baked. We like to ramp things up a little bit here, and use our imagination:

First, cut the acorn squash in half, then scoop out the seeds.

Next, cut them into wedges. This will preserve the ridges on the outside, which makes the vegetable look like fun.

Next, blanch the acorn squash in boiling, salted water. You will cook them until the are just fork-tender. Do not go past that point, or you will just puree your squash.

Here we are looking at a pat of butter, with about 3 squeezes of maple syrup. Remember to be exact when measuring! You want to season the vegetable with maple flavoring, not have it swim inside it.

Remove the acorn squash from the boiling water and toss it right into the maple butter mixture. Gently coat the squash. If you are too rough, the squash will break up and look like it has been partially eaten. You don’t want your food to look like it has been pre-chewed, do you?

Lay the acorn squash down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle some chopped parsley on top. Oh man, I wish you could smell this. The combination of sweet squash with maple makes this irresistible.

Roast the squash in a 200°C (400°F) oven until the squash is golden brown. The smell in your house will be intoxicating. You will know it is done when it looks like this:

You can almost taste it! The maple syrup has caramelized, and you can even see little bits of sugary goodness. This dish pairs well with the pork dish to help with the tartness of the cranberries in the chutney. This dish can also stand on its own with other dishes where you need the sweetness of the maple to enhance another item of the plate. An example is with beef tenderloin.

Now, here is the recipe:

Maple Glazed Acorn Squash

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 acorn squash, cut in half and seeded
• 4 L (1 gallon) boiling water
• 50g (1/4 cup) salt
• 20g (2 tablespoons) butter
• 60 mL (1/4 cup) maple syrup
• 1/4 bunch parsley, chopped

Method

1. Cut the acorn squash into wedges, maintaining the ridges of the outside.
2. Blanch in boiling salted water for approximately 5 minutes, until the squash is just fork tender.
3. Put butter and maple syrup into a large bowl, (big enough to accommodate the squash.)
4. Remove squash from the blanching water; drain and put into the bowl with the butter/maple mixture.
5. Toss gently, to avoid breaking up the acorn squash.
6. Lay the squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet; sprinkle with chopped parsley.
7. Roast in 200°C (400°F) oven for 7-10 minutes, or until the squash turns golden brown. Take care not to burn the maple glaze.
8. Serve immediately.