Yummy roasted delicata squash.
The weather in Portland has taken a crazy turn today! On Sunday, I spent eight hours dodging the sun on the side of a baseball field to stay cool in the 90 plus degree heat. Today, the weather man predicted a high of 80 degrees but it is wildly windy! It suddenly feels like fall- leaves are blowing down the street, flags are snapping in the breeze and the air feels crisp.
Even though I love the summer sunshine, I am still excited for the change of seasons. One of the aspects of fall I love the most is diving into all the fresh fall produce. Apples, pears and leafy greens are incredibly tasty but my most favorite fall veggie is squash. I like all kinds of squash but the absolute best in my book is delicata. It is a perfect size. It doesn’t need to be peeled and it is amazingly tasty! I was ecstatic when it reappeared on the shelf at my local grocery store.
Sliced delicata squash.
Delicata squash is VERY easy to prepare. Just slice it, scoop out the seeds, brush it with olive oil, sprinkle a little salt, stick it in the oven and about 40 minutes later, you have a delicious vegetable side. It is easier to work with than most other squashes because you don’t have to peel it. Once cooked, the peel is usually soft enough to eat. (I did find, however, that this time one of my squashes seemed a little dry when I was slicing it and once I cooked it, the peel did not soften up enough to eat. The other squash seemed more moist and the peel was really tasty once cooked. For the record, I have cooked a lot of delicata squash and this is the first time I had trouble with the peel not being edible so if anyone has some suggestions, I am all ears! Happily, the dryer squash still tasty good after I cut off the peel.)
Squash before going into the oven. Be sure to scoop out all the seeds before roasting.
I chose curry as the spice for my squash because I was going to be adding it to a curried soup but delicata is so versatile you could use any spice that appeals to your tastes! I have seen it with lime and chili, sugar and orange juice and cinnamon and ginger. The possibilities are endless! Don’t be afraid to use your imagination.
Squash after 40 minutes of roasting.
Finished squash.
Ingredients
- 2 delicata squash
- 2 tbs of olive oil
- 1/2 tsp of curry powder (or more to taste)
- couple of grinds of sea salt, (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash squash well to remove all dirt.
- Mix olive oil, curry powder and salt in a separate bowl.
- Slice squash in 1/4 inch thick slices.
- Place on a cookie sheet.
- Brush with olive oil mixture. Be sure to get sides of the squash rounds.
- Place in oven and cook for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and flip over each squash piece.
- Place back in oven for 20 minutes (or until squash is brown on the edges and feels soft.)
- Enjoy!
