Have I waited long enough since Thanksgiving to post a squash recipe? Ready or not, here is one for kabocha squash that you need to try. Served over milky burrata and topped with pumpkin seed oil, it’s next level.
Serve this roasted kabocha squash with burrata alongside roasted pork with grapes and sage for a hearty dinner, with grilled or pan-fried bread rubbed with garlic, or served atop spicy arugula tossed simply with lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
The genius of this recipe (if I do say so myself) is roasting the kabocha squash over a water bath. Kabocha squash can become a little dry when baking but this method helps it stay silky tender on the inside while still achieving a deeply caramelized crust on the outside.
If you can’t get your hands on toasted pumpkin seed oil, you could try a drizzle of toasted hazelnut or walnut oil. Even a high-quality extra virgin olive oil will do. Seed and nut oils are great in vinaigrettes but they don’t last forever; if you splurge on one, store it in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.
Let me know what you think in the comments or tag my @whatweeat.nyc on Instagram. Get cooking!
xo
ROASTED KABOCHA SQUASH WITH BURRATA
Ingredients…
- 1 medium kabocha squash and/or 3 medium delicata squash or similar, seeded and sliced into ~1.5 in discs or wedges
- Drizzle of honey
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper (and Maldon salt to finish)
- 8 oz burrata
- Zest of 1 lemon plus a little juice
- Toasted pumpkin seed oil for drizzling
- 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (or toasted almonds)
- Handful of mint leaves
Method…
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash on one or two parchment-lined sheet trays with extra virgin olive oil to coat and a generous drizzle of honey. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place on the upper rack(s). On the lowest rack, place an additional sheet tray or baking dish filled with boiling water.
- Roast squash for about 20 minutes, then flip the squash and rotate the trays if necessary, and return to the oven for an additional 15-20 minutes. Both sides of the squash should be nicely golden. Add more boiling water to the water bath if necessary. Allow the squash to cool on the sheet trays.
- Meanwhile, pull the burrata into bite size pieces and place in a large shallow serving dish. Layer the cooled squash over the top, top with toasted pumpkin seeds, the zest of one lemon and a generous squirt of fresh juice, a judicious drizzle of pumpkin seed oil and a handful of fresh mint leaves. Finish with a pinch of Maldon salt.
Serves 4