Saturday

Roasted Delicata Squash with Pancetta and Sage


Are you familiar with Delicata Squash?


Stock Photo


I love them because of their mild, slightly nutty flavor, 
and you don't have to bother peeling them
 ~ the skin is tender when cooked.
And their shape is so fanciful when sliced.
 (The ones I am able to find around here
are the perfect size for two meals, a little bigger 
than a russet potato.)
There are many ways of preparing Delicata ~ 
steamed, sauteed, baked, in soups, etc.




This recipe is one of my favorite ways of preparing this 
delectable squash and it could hardly be more simple.
Just cut the squash in half from stem to blossom
end, clean out the seeds* , then slice each half into
1/2-inch slices (making little half-moons.)
Put the slices on a shallow-rimmed baking pan,
along with a couple of peeled, smashed garlic cloves,
toss with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and
pepper and roast in a hot oven for about 6 minutes.

* You can roast the seeds, they make a tasty snack!





 
Flip the slices once, bake for another 6 minutes.
Then scatter some very thinly sliced pancetta
over the squash along with a few fresh sage leaves
and roast for an additional 5 to 6 minutes until
the pancetta is slightly crisp.


Optional drizzle (see below):


 
Although I could eat this roasted squash as my
main course, this time I served it with glazed salmon~
(it got too dark for good pictures, but I can
share the method with you.)



Whisk together
2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
2 tablespoons real maple syrup, grade B
My favorite is
 Coombs Family Farms 100% Pure Organic Maple Syrup
(voted #1 by 'Gourmet' magazine)

This makes enough for 2 to 4 salmon filets, 
and is easily increased if you are serving more, 
(as you can see, it's just equal parts syrup and mustard.) 
It is soo good, I could eat it by the spoonful!
And if you like your glaze spicy add a pinch for cayenne
pepper, or some Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce to taste.
And another optional use for it if I'm not making
the glazed salmon to serve with the squash:
During the last minute or two of baking you can
sparingly drizzle with this sauce over the
squash.

(I must say the roasted squash is perfectly delicious 
without the sauce but when I'm not serving the
glazed salmon, it adds a nice additional
flavor dimension to the roasted squash as brings that that 
great play of sweet and salty between
the sauce and the pancetta to the dish.)


You can get the printable recipes for 
the squash here.



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~*~*~*~*~*~


If you follow my blog you probably know how fond
I am of plain white dishes and serving pieces,
and this is one of my favorites because it is so
versatile. I love that ~ kitchen items that can multi-task.
Of course I use this one for its' intended purpose as
a tart/quiche pan ~ but I use it as a serving platter/tray~
for sandwiches, appetizers, fried or carved chicken,
as a shallow casserole dish, for sliced fruit, arranged
salads, etc.


If you're interested, you can get more information
below:

 
BIA Cordon Bleu (Great price!):





Pillivuyt from France:


Thanks for stopping by today, I'd love if you
would leave me a comment. And please feel free to describe your
favorite way(s) of preparing winter squash. 
I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to try!


Blessings ~ Mari xo

6 comments:

  1. I don't think I've ever tried Delicata squash before. They really look fancy. Now I can't wait to give them a try. The pancetta and sage on top sound like the perfect addition. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't think I've ever tried Delicata squash before. They really look fancy. Now I can't wait to give them a try. The pancetta and sage on top sound like the perfect addition. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love dishes that are simple to prepare. This squash looks delightful.

    Velva

    ReplyDelete
  4. I'm a grade b maple fan too - it looks better, it tastes better... love it. And I adore your little roasted squash moons - such a lovely presentation!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I enjoy it also..thanks for the reminder:-) lovely photos as always:-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. This looks beautiful, delicious, and healthy! I've never tried delicata, I love the shape and we're fans of butternut so I'll look forward to trying it! Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comments, friends ~ they make my day!

A Sampling of my food . . .

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