IMO, the best part (only good part?) about a Northeastern winter is the squash. I love it in all forms – butternut, spaghetti, acorn, or delicata – in soups, in salads, in pastas, in whatever. I’m all in for the comforting taste of a subtly sweet, slightly starchy, caramelized-and-toasty cucurbitaceae. That’s Latin for squash. I think.

INGREDIENTS

4 small/medium delicata squash

5 tbsp. olive oil

3 tbsp. maple syrup

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425ºF/220ºC. Tip & tail each delicata squash (cut off each end), and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and set aside.

Cut each squash half into semi-circle rings, 1” thick, and place in a large mixing bowl. Toss squash half-rings with 4 tbsp. olive oil, maple syrup, and 1 tsp. salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

Rinse squash seeds under cold water to remove the inner pulp and strings; this is best done using a fine mesh colander. Pat seeds dry, and place in a small mixing bowl with remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Mix seeds until well coated. Place on a small rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake seeds for 15 minutes, or until crispy, and squash for 35-40 minutes, until tender and caramelized. This can be done together – place the squash on a rack in the lower third of the oven, and the seeds on a rack in the upper third of the oven.

Top roasted squash with the spiced seeds.

store: squash in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week, and seeds in an airtight container or plastic bag at room temperate for up to 1 week.

diet: vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free

eat it with: on top of labneh and with an extra drizzle of maple syrup, or as a side-dish with your protein of choice.