Thursday, December 18, 2014

A Winner... Kuri not Curry

You may remember my traditional Turkey( aka Martha Stewart) table decoration whose squash body serves as a bread holder. Its skewered bread tail feathers impale the squash base.
Isn't that orange yummy?

Well, this year that bod was not a pumpkin/butternut/acorn squash but a brand new variety from our garden called "kuri squash." Its beautiful orange graced the buffet table and I certainly couldn't let that 'holey' squash go to waste now, could I?

So the day after Thanksgiving after chowing down Turkey soup instead of going shopping, I perused squash recipes on line to encounter Southern Living's myrecipes.com squash recipes. Once again I wasn't disappointed as this was perhaps my most favorite thing to make for Thanksgiving although it actually was baked after the holiday.

A simple 10 steps and you too can enjoy this scrumptious and attractive squash dish.

                      Yummy Maple Syrup Glazed Squash

Ingredients 
As most of you know by now since I am out in the End of the Rainbow Valley and a store is not close by I almost always substitute with what's on hand... therefore note - the items in parentheses are the original recipe's suggestions)

1 kuri squash (3 acorn squash) halved and seeded
4 1/2 t olive oil
1 T light brown sugar
1/2 t kosher salt
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 c dried cranberries
1/4 c sherry cooking wine (sherry vinegar) and some balsamic 
1/4 c  maple (cane) syrup
1 T butter, melted
1/8 t ground cayenne (red) pepper
1/4 c loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley/cilantro, coarsely chopped

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 475°.
2. Slice squash half into 4 to 5 wedges,  tossing with olive oil, brown sugar, and salt.
3. Arrange squash in a single layer on a lightly greased (with cooking spray) jelly-roll pan.
4. Bake 40 minutes/until golden and tender.
5. Meanwhile, microwave cranberries and vinegar in microwave-safe bowl (30 sec HIGH).
6. Let mixture stand 10 minutes; drain.
7. Stir together syrup, butter, and pepper in a bowl.
8. Brush squash with half of syrup mixture. Turn squash over, and brush with remaining syrup mixture. 
9.  Bake at 475° 12 more min. / until golden brown.
10.Transfer squash to serving platter; top with cranberries and cilantro/parsley.
*The second time I made this recipe for a luncheon I used 3 larger acorn squash and 'doubled' every thing else. The skin was much thicker so after step 9  I removed the 'rind' and cubed the squash. Still beautiful and tasty. 

Many thanks to Southern Living for leading me to myrecipes.com for one of my most  favorite new recipes!
   Do let me know if you enjoy this squash dish as much as we did.




      

2 comments:

  1. That sounds very tasty - how could it not with all that syrup. Yum.

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    Replies
    1. And the syrup is local as it came from the Amish on the ridge no less.

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