Roasted Acorn Squash W/Chili Lime Vinaigrette

This late-season squash is rosated to coax out its subtle sugars before being mixed with citrus juice, chile, and cilantro.

Ingredients

1-2 (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lb) acorn squash
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt [divided, see below directions]
6 tablespoons olive oil [divided, see below directions]
1 garlic clove
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1-2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh hot red chile
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450F. Halve squash lengthwise and cut off and discard stem ends. Scoop out seeds. Cut squash lengthwise into 3/4 inch wide wedges. In a large mixing bowl with a lid add black pepper, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, mix together. Add squash wedges. Place lid on bowl and toss and move around for about 1 minute. Inspect the squash to make sure that all sides of the squash are coated with the oil mixture. If not repeat. In 2 large shallow baking pans or glass dishes place the wedges with a cut side down. Roast squash until it is tender and undersides of wedges are golden brown, about 35 minutes.

While squash is roasting, mince the garlic and mash to a paste. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the lime juice. Mince the chili pepper and cilantro and add to the garlic mixture. Add 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix and let sit until squash is ready.

Remove the squash from the oven, and while hot drizzle the chili/lime mixture all over the squash and place any left over in a small bowl to use at the table.

(You can also add onions and/or any color bell pepper to this mixture to change the flavor just a bit. (One time we used small egyptian onions and chives from our garden)

More Info

Servings / Yield: 4
Prep Time: 15 min   /   Total Time: 45 min
Category: Side Dish
Keywords: Unspecified