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When creating our Thanksgiving menu, I tried to consider the likes and dislikes of all four diners. However, for one of our dishes I felt that the preference of three diners outweighed the dislike of the fourth diner. And with that decision, I added Pureed Caramelized Squash to the menu.
I felt it was even more necessary to make this squash dish, as our friend Vicki does not prepare winter squash often, as she would be the only member of her household to eat it. Knowing that my husband and I would enjoy butternut squash also, it seemed worth making. I apologized to Mr. Tom (Vicki’s husband) but figured he would appreciate my consideration for his wife.
With this Thanksgiving being the first time I made this dish, I was pleased to discover that it is a delicious and flexible vegetable dish. As the butternut squash is pureed, it is a great dish to make at home and bring to dinner at someone else’s home. Simply put the fully prepared squash in a microwaveable or oven-proof dish, and reheat before dinnertime. Give the squash a couple hearty stirs, and it is ready to be served.
- 1 large butternut squash (about 3 pounds)
- 6 Tb. unsalted butter
- 2 Tb. fresh sage leaves, minced
- 1-1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 2 Tb. sugar
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- salt and pepper
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Peel squash. Remove stem, cut in half lengthwise, remove and discard seeds.
- Dice into 1-inch cubes.
- Melt butter in a small saucepot over medium-high heat. Add sage, rosemary, sugar, vinegar, and molasses.
- Stir well until mixture boils. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, and simmer for a minute or two.
- Place squash cubes in a large mixing bowl, and pour molasses mixture on top. Toss well.
- Spread squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Toss squash, and return to oven for another 30 minutes. Squash is done when it is fork tender.
- Allow to cool briefly. (You want squash not to be steaming and excess molasses mixture to be liquid.)
- Puree squash in food processor, dividing squash into smaller portions if needed.
- Squash can be served immediately or refrigerated.
