Twice-Roasted Squash With Vanilla, Maple, and Chile

Twice-Roasted Squash With Vanilla, Maple, and Chile

By KENDRA VACULIN
Total time 1 hour 40 minutes
Serves 8

The undisputed worst part of roasting squash is laboriously hacking apart a rock-hard gourd. Skip that entire process by roasting a kabocha squash whole, then tearing the cooked flesh into pieces to roast again under a fragrant and slightly spicy glaze. The result is tender squash with a sticky-sweet sheen in boats of crispy skin. If you want to work ahead, roast the whole squash a day before you need it and store it in your refrigerator; before serving, simply tear the squash, drizzle it with glaze, and pop it back into the oven for the final roast.

Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. Nielsen-Massey Madagascar
Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
2 21⁄2–31⁄2-lb. kabocha squash

2–3 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced

1⁄2 cup pure maple syrup

Kosher salt
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 425°. Poke each squash
a few times with a sharp knife, then
place on a foil-lined rimmed baking
sheet. Roast until a fork easily pierces
through skin, about 1 hour. Let sit until
cool enough to handle, then cut each
squash in half. Scoop out and discard
seeds. Tear squash into large pieces
and arrange, flesh side up, on same
baking sheet.

STEP 2

Increase oven temperature to 450°.
Bring chiles, maple syrup, vanilla, and
abigpinchofsalttoaboilinasmall
saucepan; reduce heat and simmer until
thickened, 8–10 minutes. Remove from
heat and stir in oil.

STEP 3

Generously season squash with salt,
then spoon maple syrup mixture
over each piece. Roast squash until
darkened slightly and jammy in spots,
20–25 minutes.

STEP 4

Transfer squash to a platter and
sprinkle sesame seeds over.

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